Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
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Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Dec 22, 2018, 11:10 AM
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I don't get what Theo is doing. This team has some holes. We are standing pat while Brewers and Cards are getting better.
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Bullpen Catcher [∞]
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Dec 22, 2018, 11:22 AM
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The Reds are getting better too...
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Dec 23, 2018, 10:31 AM
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I think with Puig, Kemp, Wood and Roark, the Reds just secured fourth place- minimum- in 2019.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Dec 23, 2018, 2:39 PM
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Theo isn't stupid. He knows another WS would cement his legacy in Chicago. Let's give him some time to tweak things. Personally, I'm pretty confident in our current roster, but I know I'm the only guy on the planet that feels that way.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Dec 23, 2018, 2:44 PM
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I'm pretty confident of them reaching the playoffs again. Not sure about World Series win. Depends on if Darvish, Bryant, Morrow, etc come back 100 percent and do big things in 2019.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Dec 23, 2018, 3:07 PM
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Can I add Contreras to the list, along with Bote, of players whose bats need to heat back up?
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Dec 23, 2018, 3:29 PM
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Yea...Contreras was a preseason MVP candidate last season and fizzled all season. Needs to stop rolling groundball outs to the SS and get some power back like we know he has.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Dec 23, 2018, 3:37 PM
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Couldn't agree more. Adding fuel here but I'm not as worried about Heyward as I'm supposed to be.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Dec 23, 2018, 4:03 PM
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just about every bat in that lineup needs to be recharged. That's my one fear- a LOT of talent, but to turn 10 or 11 guys around offensively seems like a HUGE task for Iapoce to overcome. I guess we're about to see either how good Iapoce is, or how bad Chili Davis was.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Dec 23, 2018, 4:30 PM
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I think we only need 4-5 guys to get their bat hot again. Not worried about Javy, Zobrist, or Rizzo. Think about it...if Contreras can hit .280 or more, Bote resurfaces to hit .280-.300, Heyward to .270, Almora to .275, Schwarber to .275-.290, we would be very hard to beat.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Dec 23, 2018, 4:33 PM
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Lofty goals for some. I think Bote needs more playing time and maybe another season before he starts hitting upper-200's, but I believe he could be a .285-.290 career hitter. One thing about Iapoce and Hottovy- they are all about converting metrics to useful information for the players.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Dec 23, 2018, 4:35 PM
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Didn't know that about the coaches. Gives me even more hope.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Dec 23, 2018, 4:44 PM
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Bryant is in terrible need of a resurgence. I worry about his shoulder though and how they will need to rest it throughout the season.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 2, 2019, 9:00 AM
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He just needed some rest...he is still young and is being watched by elite doctors. I think he will be back to himself in 2019. If so, Cubs are looking fine.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 2, 2019, 11:19 AM
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And if this has become a chronic injury?
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 2, 2019, 7:06 PM
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Then that’s a shame that it happened to a former MVP winner in his prime.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 3, 2019, 9:48 AM
[ in reply to Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central? ] |
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Where in the world do you get the idea that he has a chronic shoulder injury? He missed parts of the second half of one season, hardly a chronic injury. I see you didn't get any smarter over the holidays. That other guy writing in seems to know what he's talking about, why not let him write more?
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 3, 2019, 2:30 PM
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OK. Theo Epstein (not Ken Allison) said that they would have to monitor Bryant's shoulder in 2019. That indicates a "chronic," not "acute," condition. And I told the other "know nothing" that youliked him better. As I predicted, he was flattered.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 3, 2019, 9:17 PM
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Lets face it...the Cubs will be lucky to finish 3rd....I'm a Diehard fan but a realistic one, these guys are not goin to bounce back..they topped out..and the lack of doing anything this winter will only add to the fact the Cubs are on the decline!! The window is shut my friends....heck we cant even trade any of our so called superstars..no takers...what does that tell you?? Sad to say it will be hard to keep the Cubs out of the NL central cellar. Aging pitching that wont be effective...a shabby bullpen,a lineup that cant hit with runners in scoring position, injuries galore that may not heal need i go on??
We dont need Harper we need a farm system...some players who can hit .280 plus...one that dont strike out tons... trust me this is only the first of some LONG LONG seasons and Winters
Lets just hope its not 108 of them again.
Let me be the first to congratulate the St. Louis Cardinals for winning the 2019 Central division and beyond..they have the young pitching to make them great again for years to come,,get used to looking up at them in the standings....it will happen for the next decade. There ownership understands and does something about things...LEARN CUBS LEARN
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 4, 2019, 12:31 PM
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Good take, although the window isn't shut yet for the Cubs. I will concede that it is starting to close though. Pirates and Brewers have done nothing, and the Cards are certainly stronger. The team to watch this year in the NL Central is going to be the Reds. I'm not suggesting they'll win it, but I don't think they'll finish below third either.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 5, 2019, 7:23 PM
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You and WolfPat are both insane. This teams window is still wide open. Nothing any team has done will allow them to catch the Cubs. Milwaukee had a crazy year last year and no reason to think they will do it again really. Cubs are still the cream of the division. Some fans you guys are.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 6, 2019, 10:40 AM
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So if you aren't the Johnny Rah-Rah type, then you aren't a fan? I'm a bog fan of America, is everything peaches and cream here too? I've been a Cubs fan for 45 years, but when they are screwing up, I'll call them on it every time.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 8, 2019, 12:51 AM
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Well put Ken, I would LOVE to be wrong...but am I?? Doing nothing is an option but why all of the sudden?? I experienced as a fan 1969..70..73..84 ..97....2003 i know the heartache and disappointment. I envy organizations that year after year are competitive and give fans hope. The 2019 Cubs are not one of them. Resting on the 2016 championship should come to an end but really has it?
My prediction if all goes well is 84-78. aging pitching, a sub par bullpen, hitters declining..not all but most since the 2016 magical season leaves no other conclusion. True the Pirates and Brewers haven't done much but rumor has it Milwaukee is seeking Matt-bum from the Giants. We all know how improved the Cardinals and the Reds got.
Maybe at the trade deadline we can ship whatever players are having good seasons for some prospects, one only can hope there be takers
RIP ANY CHAMPIONSHIP HOPES IN 2019 FOR THE CUBS
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 8, 2019, 6:17 AM
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Well said.
I chat pretty frequently with Anthony Bass. He just signed with the Reds (minor league deal with an invite to spring training). He told me the Reds aren't done building yet for 2019. At the rate they are going, I can honestly see them as a third place team this year, especially if they continue to add. Puig and Kemp alone are good for another 10 wins on the season. Their rotation is solid, and they're shoring up their pen- all the things the Cubs should be doing, but aren't.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 8, 2019, 4:09 PM
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You part time Cubs fans are deranged. This team lost the division by one game and didn't have Bryant, Darvish, Morrow, Russell, and others for most of the year. Suddenly they are crap? This team will win at least 95 games in 2019 and all you bandwagoners will be looking dumb.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 8, 2019, 7:07 PM
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Bandwagoner? Lol, that's funny. I had been eating, sleeping and dreaming this team long before 2016. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the Cubs are remaining idle (relatively) as compared to the teams around them.
Baseball is about rolling with the changes and keeping up with the Jones', and the Cubs have done neither this winter. They still have yet to replace the four free-agent relievers who have left and we are now just a week short of mid-January. They still have no backup for Baez at short other than Bote, who has played about 2 innings there at a major league level. They lose a plethora of guys to free agency next year, including 40% of the starting rotation.
If you think the Cubs are set for 2019, much less beyond, I think you need to seriously sit down and reevaluate the definition of security.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 9, 2019, 6:42 AM
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Ken,I agree..I'm a Diehard fan like my father before me ( rest his soul he never saw them win it all). The modern era of baseball is never get too comfortable with what you have, cause it will be around only so long. Lets face it, after the flurry of moves to get to the 2016 championship and moves the last two offseasons this one is but a dud. Anyone who thinks 95 wins is realistic under the current roster is only fooling themselves.
So I conclude with one quote from Satchel Paige...don't look back, you never know who is gaining on you. With the whole division is doing or have done more than the Cubs have, the rear view mirror is no longer having many images..they all passing by with each day of no activity. My solution is we start passing the hat to help the cash strapped Cubs so to give us hope which is fading fast
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 9, 2019, 7:00 AM
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From my Hot Corner column that should post either tonight or tomorrow...
Caesar’s Palace: Although the off-season isn’t nearly over, the Vegas machine is at work, and Caesar’s is already projecting a down year for the Cubs. The early line has the Cubs winning only 89 games in 2019, while their cross-town rivals are projected to win 74.5 games.
The Cardinals are projected to be right there with the Cubs, coming in at 88 1/2. The Brewers are expected to have quite a drop-off at 83 1/2. According to Caesar’s, the Pirates and Reds will stay in the cellar with 78.5 and 77 wins, respectively.
Personally, I think the Cubs prediction is close, but I see the Cards and Reds doing better than projected.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 9, 2019, 12:49 PM
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So you are saying that you are smarter than the bookies in Vegas? Interesting. They actually support my statement by making the Cubs the division favorites. They don't build all those casino's by making bad bets.
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Re: Seriously? Going from possible dynasty to 3rd in Central?
Jan 9, 2019, 1:45 PM
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I can see the Cubs winning 89 games, but that is not the record the best team in the NL will hold at the end of 2019. I think they've grossly underestimated what the Reds will do, and the caption I saw with predictions didn't include a lot of other NL teams.
Make no mistake- I hope the Cubs win 100+ games and sweep their way through the playoffs, but right now, I don't see it happening.
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