Chicago Cubs 2015 Thread

docholihawk said:
Tough division, 3 of the 4 best records in all of baseball.
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For sure. The Cubs would be winning any other division (except 1 game behind KC if they were in the AL) but are 3rd in the NL Central. That's nuts.

I figured the Cubs would be around a .500 team this year, maybe 85-90 wins if things broke right, so looks like they're going to exceed what I figured was best case scenario. Love it!

It still makes me nervous that it appears, almost certainly, that everything will be riding on one game in the Wild Card matchup, but it sure beats where the Cubs had been from 2009-14.
 
DJL said:
Pitchers and catchers have reported. The Cubs have a boat load of talent. I put the over/under total at 83. Whatcha got?
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DJL, I'm kinda thinkin they could be way over.......my original was 88 wins to 74 losses, 20 more to go, see if they get the Bucs in 4 and get tied for 2nd...:)
 
NEIChawk said:
DJL, I'm kinda thinkin they could be way over.......my original was 88 wins to 74 losses, 20 more to go, see if they get the Bucs in 4 and get tied for 2nd...:)
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Looks like 83 might have been a little low. I know they have exceeded my expectations this year. Winning 3 out of 4 in Pittsburgh was huge. I still have some hope we can catch them at least!
 
What is great is they have exceeded expectations and our lineup is in tact for a few years. Really the only question mark next year is CF, I would love it if Fowler agreed to a 1 year deal to bide a little more time for Almora possibly (or at least see if he is going to be it otherwise make a deal later). We really don't have a true CF in the rest of the bunch. Maddon has shown he'll use everyone on the team too so I'm hoping we keep everyone happy but guys like LaStella, Coughlan, Denorfia are great bench/role guys.
Our biggest need is pitching, I see us going after Price hard in the offseason. Its hard to have 2 pitchers on staff making $100mil plus but I think its worth it in our case. I'd also love to see them lock Arietta up.
But right now I'll focus on 2015! A 1 game wild card with Arietta vs. Cole will be a nail biter! If we get past it, I like our chances in a series!
 
bogeyman said:
What is great is they have exceeded expectations and our lineup is in tact for a few years. Really the only question mark next year is CF, I would love it if Fowler agreed to a 1 year deal to bide a little more time for Almora possibly (or at least see if he is going to be it otherwise make a deal later). We really don't have a true CF in the rest of the bunch. Maddon has shown he'll use everyone on the team too so I'm hoping we keep everyone happy but guys like LaStella, Coughlan, Denorfia are great bench/role guys.
Our biggest need is pitching, I see us going after Price hard in the offseason. Its hard to have 2 pitchers on staff making $100mil plus but I think its worth it in our case. I'd also love to see them lock Arietta up.
But right now I'll focus on 2015! A 1 game wild card with Arietta vs. Cole will be a nail biter! If we get past it, I like our chances in a series!
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Would be good for the Cubs, but Fowler is going to get paid and I doubt he's back in Chicago next year.
 
HawkeyeMike23 said:
Would be good for the Cubs, but Fowler is going to get paid and I doubt he's back in Chicago next year.
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I agree, so we might have to go out in FA and find someone to fill the void next year, or teach Kris Bryant to play the position. I would love to have Castro, Baez, and Russell in the lineup all at the same time (assuming Castro consistently returns to form). Not sure how to make that work but Schwarber, Soler, and Bryant obviously all need to be there too. A lot of great young talent. I agree we need more starting pitching and could use another back end bullpen guy next year.
 
bogeyman said:
What is great is they have exceeded expectations and our lineup is in tact for a few years. Really the only question mark next year is CF, I would love it if Fowler agreed to a 1 year deal to bide a little more time for Almora possibly (or at least see if he is going to be it otherwise make a deal later). We really don't have a true CF in the rest of the bunch. Maddon has shown he'll use everyone on the team too so I'm hoping we keep everyone happy but guys like LaStella, Coughlan, Denorfia are great bench/role guys.
Our biggest need is pitching, I see us going after Price hard in the offseason. Its hard to have 2 pitchers on staff making $100mil plus but I think its worth it in our case. I'd also love to see them lock Arietta up.
But right now I'll focus on 2015! A 1 game wild card with Arietta vs. Cole will be a nail biter! If we get past it, I like our chances in a series!
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I think the Cubs have the best set of position players in the league right now. That infield is unbelievable. As excited as I am about this team though, I must temper my expectations because I think this team will only go as far as the pitching allows. They can't out-slug teams in the playoffs and after the 1-2 pitchers, it falls off dramatically. The 3-5 starters are shaky at best and Maddon has shown very little confidence in the bullpen as each and every one of them have had rough stretches at one point or another. I do think Theo and Jed work hard to rectify that in the offseason and if they do pick up Price, this could be a 100+ win team. Exciting days are ahead, for sure.
 
DJL said:
I agree, so we might have to go out in FA and find someone to fill the void next year, or teach Kris Bryant to play the position. I would love to have Castro, Baez, and Russell in the lineup all at the same time (assuming Castro consistently returns to form). Not sure how to make that work but Schwarber, Soler, and Bryant obviously all need to be there too. A lot of great young talent. I agree we need more starting pitching and could use another back end bullpen guy next year.
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I think Bryant can be a CF, I don't think he can be a CF with guys like Soler, Schwarber and Coghlan in the corner OF positions. The Cubs need to find a solid defensive CF for a short term solution, I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being another guy already on the roster in Austin Jackson. I was about ready to write Almora off as it just didn't seem to be working for him at the plate then all of a sudden the second half of this year it clicked, if he starts next year in Des Moines he might be ready to be up by 2017.

The Cubs have a solid bullpen core in Rondon, Grimm, Strop, hopefully a healthy Ramirez next year, Rosscup, Edwards, but I hope the Cubs go after an elite back end guy, bumping everyone down a spot would make the bullpen look even better. I'd love to see them get Price, but not if it ties up resources going forward. If the Ricketts are ready to really open up the payroll with the new TV deal and postseason revenue expected the next few years, then sign Price and go after another young starter either in free agency or through trade. The Cubs still have a lot of depth in their minor league system even though they don't have a ton of elite talent besides Gleyber Torres right now, but they have more than enough to make a trade especially with a team looking to rebuild. I'd love if Hendricks ended up in Iowa next year, that would mean we have great starting pitching depth. I'm still holding out hope that Jacob Turner might be ready to contribute next year as well.
 
I seriously hope they sweep the Cards this weekend. I'm so sick of hearing about 'the right way' BS. To intentionally throw at Rizzo was bush league.
 
Absolutely love Joe Maddon letting the Cards know their days of waltzing through the division are over. Our decade of dominance is set to begin!!!
Never seen a Cubs team play with this much swagger and confidence in my life. Love it!
 
Arrieta's ERA is now 1.88 for the season. He has a chance to be the Cubs' first sub 2 ERA pitcher since Grover Cleveland Alexander in 1920
 
we'll, I'm half right ... and hope it stays that way! Go Cubs Go!

bws258 said:
In 2015, the Cubs will win at least 85 games, get a wildcard spot, might win a playoff game or two, but will not make it to the WS. So, no-dice on the Back-to-the-Future prediction.

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bws258 said:
we'll, I'm half right ... and hope it stays that way! Go Cubs Go!
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Good call!

The Cubs are a much better team than I figured. I think they're legit, and have a chance to do some damage in the playoffs. Despite yesterday's loss, they've fared quite well the past few weeks against the Cards and Pirates, a couple of the best teams in baseball.
 
Well Arietta with another masterpiece. Guy is just unbelievably consistent right now. Just gotta get past the 1 game wild card game and I like our chances in any series. The Key will be for Lester to match Arietta in the playoffs and be dominant. If we have a dominant 1-2 punch we can beat anyone. Gerrit Cole and the Pirates in a 1 game wild card will be a nail biter 2-1 kind of game. Makes me nervous just thinking about watching it I'll be a mess during the actual game!
 
bogeyman said:
Well Arietta with another masterpiece. Guy is just unbelievably consistent right now. Just gotta get past the 1 game wild card game and I like our chances in any series. The Key will be for Lester to match Arietta in the playoffs and be dominant. If we have a dominant 1-2 punch we can beat anyone. Gerrit Cole and the Pirates in a 1 game wild card will be a nail biter 2-1 kind of game. Makes me nervous just thinking about watching it I'll be a mess during the actual game!
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Arrieta is unreal. I just hope the guy doesn't have a let down in the WC game, but if he keeps doing what he's been doing the last couple months, the Cubs will be in the NLDS.

Agreed on Lester.. We really need him to be big for us in October. He's been up and down, but the good news is that I think he has a good track record in playoff games with the Red Sox, and lots of post-season experience, so he's been there and knows what it takes. Hopefully a good omen.

But.. Gotta get past that elimination game on 10/7. Hard not to be nervous about that, but I like our odds with arguably the best pitcher in baseball this year going in that one.
 
Cubs Sweep Reds! 2 behind Pitt with 3 to play for the home field wild card game. We own the tiebreaker. Pirates play the Reds who have lost 11 or 12 in a row, so unlikely they lose 2 of 3. We obviously need to beat the Brewers also. Never know though!
 
Ok, I'll admit that, at heart, I'm mostly a Cardinal fan. But I am rooting BIG TIME for a Cardinal-Cub NLDS series. It would become an instant classic, regardless of who wins. This has always been a top-notch rivalry, yet it is amazing the two have apparently never met in the post-season, understanding that before, say 1969, with the introduction of divisions, that wasn't going to happen.

So Cubs - do us a big favor and put Pittsburgh out of everyone's misery. I'm tired of the pundits treating them like they are four-time world-series champions. To now, they have done nothing.
 
F**k the Bucs, Cubs will take care of bizness in Milwaukee (just like the Hawks in Madison), and the Bucs will fall.....I was in Chicago in July and watched the Cubs take two from the Cards, so, yes, let's do the NLDS...
 
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