Chicago Cubs 2018 Season

#1,026      
You try being a world class athlete, sidelined with an injury for a couple months. Then come back and compete against other world class athletes, that have been performing for the two months you were plastered to a seat.

It's more an exception that a guy can come back from a midseason injury and perform at MVP levels, rather than him slumping, if just a little. If you've ever read anything on sports medicine, being cleared to play doesn't mean being at optimal health, both mental and physical. That's player dependent, not a physiological problem (assuming you have clean and good doctors).

All in all, power was down, but he still was a plus offensive threat. Give him an offseason to recover, then let me know if his power is truly diminished.
 
#1,027      

Illiniaaron

Geneseo, IL
2015: 26 HR in 559 at bats.
2016: 39 in 603.
2017: 29 in 549.
2018: 13 in 389.

Where is this big drop off in power that you are seeing? The 1/2 season I am referring to is the first half of 2018 before he got hurt (i.e., the only time in his young career where anybody should be "concerned"). But even discounting that, I am not seeing your point.
11 homers after the all star break in 2017.
 
#1,029      
And was 7th in MVP voting that year.
Which included the first half of the year...

Before the ASB '17 Bryant hit a HR in 4.8% of his PAs, after 3.1%
Before his FB% was 45.4%, after 40.8%.
Before his HR/FB was 17.5%, after 12.2%
Before his hard contact rate was 37.5, after 32.4.

You cannot argue that he is hitting for the same power the past 1.5 seasons as he was before.
You can debate that it is just an untimely slump and injury, but pretending it didn't happen is just silly.
 
#1,030      
Which included the first half of the year...

Before the ASB '17 Bryant hit a HR in 4.8% of his PAs, after 3.1%
Before his FB% was 45.4%, after 40.8%.
Before his HR/FB was 17.5%, after 12.2%
Before his hard contact rate was 37.5, after 32.4.

You cannot argue that he is hitting for the same power the past 1.5 seasons as he was before.
You can debate that it is just an untimely slump and injury, but pretending it didn't happen is just silly.

I can see and acknowledge the statistics that show he's had a decline in power. My take is that he's still an elite player that Cub fans shouldn't be worried about.
 
#1,031      

KBLEE

Montgomery, IL
I can see and acknowledge the statistics that show he's had a decline in power. My take is that he's still an elite player that Cub fans shouldn't be worried about.

He wasn't an elite player after the injury this year, and I can't view him as such until he's able to show that his offense can rebound to pre-injury levels.
 
#1,032      
He wasn't an elite player after the injury this year, and I can't view him as such until he's able to show that his offense can rebound to pre-injury levels.

Hey, fair enough.

I'll bet the farm that he does, though. And gladly eat crow in 2019 if he doesn't. He's a talent this organization hasn't seen in a long, long time.
 
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#1,033      
Hey, fair enough.

I'll bet the farm that he does, though. And gladly eat crow in 2019 if he doesn't. He's a talent this organization hasn't seen in a long, long time.

If you're wrong I think you might be sadly eating crow rather than gladly; because another down year from him would mean another difficult path to the playoffs.
 
#1,034      
If you're wrong I think you might be sadly eating crow rather than gladly; because another down year from him would mean another difficult path to the playoffs.

Haha, I did word that a bit sloppily. To clarify, 1) I do think he bounces back to his elite self (likely in a sweet spot between his 2016 and 2017 seasons), and 2) When he does so, the Cubs have a much more smooth ride to the playoffs. (y)

[ W ]
 
#1,039      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
Brett at Bleacher Nation is my favorite kind of petty. He just retweeted this article from early March in the 8th inning of the Boston/Houston game with the Astros losing 4-1.


oh yeah! It was big down here. Got tons of airtime on TV. Of course, all of the talking heads agreed and were slobbering all over him.

Was going to tweet at Kuechel this morning, something along the lines of, "I guess the Astros are more like the Cubs that you thought." but decided against being "that" guy.
 
#1,040      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
They are looking like world beaters.

I thought the Stros were going to come out of the AL and destroy whatever team came out of the NL. But yeah, Boston looks awesome right now and agreed, they should steamroll to a title.
 
#1,041      

South Farms

near Ogden & Rt 83
Ive been around long enough to know you can be chili today, hot tamale and vice versa

while the Bosox are likely to win in 5 or 6 games, it would not surprise me in the least to see the Dodgers finally win it again, especially after the meh year they had up until the last 3 weeks of the season
 
#1,042      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
Ive been around long enough to know you can be chili today, hot tamale and vice versa

while the Bosox are likely to win in 5 or 6 games, it would not surprise me in the least to see the Dodgers finally win it again, especially after the meh year they had up until the last 3 weeks of the season

Assuming they win tonight, of course.