Arietta with another Gem last night. Guy has been unbelievable! He pitches like this next year we got something boys. Add another top tier starter and hopefully a solid Hendricks we can compete for the wild card. On a good note, we ended our home record at 41-40. If we can be around this mark on the road too we are in the wild card hunt.
Chicago Cubs 2014 Season Thread (super-official)
- Thread starter bws258
- Start date
Yeah I think 85-90 wins is what you need to really be in the hunt. We are at 71 so far this year, but we had a really slow start to the year. Add another premium starter, strengthen the bullpen, and call-up Kris Bryant and that seems very realistic. It would also be nice to add another corner outfielder who could hit over .300 and hit 40 plus homers, but that might not be very realistic.
deanvogs
Well-Known Member
This needs to be done now. Why let a group of business hold fans, and team hostage. Ricketts bringing it right at them.
http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/96054168/cubs-to-immediately-begin-wrigley-field-renovation-plan
http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/96054168/cubs-to-immediately-begin-wrigley-field-renovation-plan
Was looking at our Bullpen stats. We are 17th in all of MLB, so about right in the middle. Playoff teams Royals/Angels/Cards at 13/14/15th. Dodgers and Tigers are actually below us. Our bullpen has actually been decent and really won't need much more than maybe 1 good arm. Maybe a lefty? Picking up another top starter would help the bullpen tremendously, because think of how many times Edwin Jackson made our bullpen throw a lot of innings because he couldn't get out of the 4th inning. I think we'll get a starter. Us being competitive soon might just boil down to Baez/Alcantara/Bryant all being productive at the plate. Baez can't do what he's doing right now and help us.
HawkeyeMike23
Banned
Take out the 13-27 start and they were basically a .500 team over the last 120 games of the year. A full year of Soler, the addition of Bryant in late April, an improved Baez and Alcantra, an added top of the rotation guy and I think the Cubs will definitely be in the wild card hunt next year.
Lots of positives out of this year though: Rizzo and Castro bouncing back from down years in 2013, Rizzo establishing himself as an elite middle of the order bat, Coughlan and Valbuena both looking like real solid players, if those guys are on your bench, you're in great shape. Arrieta looking like an elite starter, nothing at all fluky about his numbers this season, Hendricks showing he can absolutely be successful at this level, and if nothing else can be a solid back of the rotation starter. The bullpen as a whole, Rondon continuing to progress into an elite closer, great Rule 5 pickup by Theo and co, his splits have got better each half season since they signed him, Ramirez, Strop and Grimm all having very good years out of the pen as well. Loved the Jacob Turner signing as well, he's shown some flashes since joining the Cubs and is still only 23, still hoping that a full offseason of work with Bosio can turn him into a legit starter next year.
Well I predicted 72 wins I believe and they ended with 73. There is some promise for next year if the pieces fall in to place. I think they need to just go ahead and plan on having a spot for Bryant myself to start the season in Chicago. If Baez plays like he did this year, he'll have to go back to AAA. Just looked lost at the plate. Wonder what it would take to get Stanton away from the Marlins. We need a corner OF, unless they move bryant there I would be really tempted to trade one of our SS prospects in a package for Stanton. I agree with HawkeyeMike, Valbuena and Coughlan would make excellent utility guys next year. If Bryant or Baez struggle then we have Valbuena to jump in for them.
HawkeyeMike23
Banned
Not happening, no way are they going to burn a year of service time for 20 games next year. He'll be planned on as either the starting LF or 3B next year, but he won't be up until late April/early May. Baez really needs to get off to a better start next year than how he finished this year. This has been his pattern at almost every level though, struggle mightily at the begin, then figure it out and tear up the league. I'm hoping this pattern repeats itself at the big league level, but I agree, they can't keep throwing him out there if he's hitting .170 and striking out twice a game.
Good point, I agree there is a good shot they'll leave him at AAA a few weeks. Although, getting off to a good start is important and if we think he clearly helps us those first 20 games boy it'd be hard to sacrifice winning games for business. You can lose a playoff spot in April if you stink too bad. We'll have the funds to pay him early in his career and lock him up like we did Castro and Rizzo anyway so I hope they do what's best for the on field product come April 1.
Baez is rolling over everything that he makes contact with right now. I've seen him hit balls out to RF, he has gotten away from using his power to all field and is trying to pull too much IMO. Hope he figures it out.
Joe Maddon.... VERY Intriguing guys! Do you think Theo risks being known as the guy who'll fire you after 1 year of your contract whenever he thinks there is something better? Gonna be an interesting next few days. Feel bad for Renteria but man Maddon would be Awesome!
I think Renteria did a fine job but there are very few impact managers in the game of baseball. I believe Joe Maddon is one of them. Unless you already have an elite Manager, if you have a chance, go get him.
Jjgoiowa11
Well-Known Member
Wow, I knew Wrigley was a dump but they have
to use a T for batting practice? A tee?? Professional ball players are hitting off a tee into a net in 2014? Those rooftop owners are the devil
Jjgoiowa11
Well-Known Member
LOL, "Now Im not saying the cubs facilities are the reason we haven't won a world series in over 100 years.......uhhmmmm, yes i am saying that and the rooftop owners are also the devil."
Yeah good point. There are only a few managers in MLB who may be "the" difference and he is one. Rentaria did a fine job this year and after the first couple months of the season we played .500 ball with a patchwork lineup. Will be interesting for sure. I don't envy the tough decision Theo has to make. Either way we'll be all right though if the players perform and meet their potential.
thejumper5
Well-Known Member
I think the Cubs FO will look at the Maddon/Renteria issue the same way they would approach a free agent signing. For instance, if they had a league average RF and had the chance to sign Giancarlo Stanton for a reasonable price, they would absolutely do it if they felt like they would win appreciably more games. I think because they have approached so much of what they've done over the past 2.5 years with that same business-like approach, making a move to get Maddon won't be seen as controversially than it would be in other organizations.
I can tell you it would be a good move from the standpoint of re-energizing the fan base. Most fans understood we were going to be bad for a few years and excepted it. If you hire a guy like Maddon and pick up a couple of big named free agents, hope will rise fast, and there will be a lot of excitement in Chicago.
HawkeyeMike23
Banned
This isn't really about Maddon, as I think he would be a good signing and is probably the second best manager in the game, but one thing I really like about this front office is that they don't worry about catering to the dumb fans. They don't make moves for big name guys just to sell tickets or anything like that. They've got buy in from the owners to do a complete rebuild, and they haven't half assed that, they've rebuilt the entire organization from the bottom up. It hasn't been a whole lot of fun the last three years but it's going to pay off big time over the next few years.
thejumper5
Well-Known Member
[tweet]527574707475079168[/tweet]
I just got the notification on my phone. I may have my hopes up too far but I expect the Cubs to be much better next year and then become a legitimate contender the next 2 to 3 years.
