Chicago Cubs 2019 Season

#855      
Cubs not really making me regret posting those weekend Cardinals tickets on Stubhub.

They’re just going to end up losing the rest of their games aren’t they?
 
#856      

Illiniaaron

Geneseo, IL
Cubs have major starting pitching worries going into next year. Outside of Hendricks, who is dependable but has been sliding statistically every year since 2016, you have Darvish with one good half-season out of two full seasons with the Cubs, Lester who looks like he may be about done, Quintana who is just bad, and a hole to fill for Hamels. They probably found a few bullpen pieces with the overhaul they did during the season but they need a few more dependable relief arms and have a huge question at closer, as Kimbrel was a disaster this season. Add that to getting the offense right somehow and Theo & Co. have a huge offseason coming up.
 
#857      
I don’t agree that Hendricks has been sliding. This season has been virtually identical to last season except for the 2 or 3 starts he missed due to injury. The difference between his ‘17 year and these last two years is almost entirely accounted for by the juiced ball. And his tremendous ‘16 had a whole ton to do with the best Cubs infield defense any of us have seen in our lifetime.

(An underrated part of the Cubs underperformance these last couple years has been the erosion in their infield defense almost entirely due to the collapse in Addison Russel’s career.)

If you look at Hendricks’ peripheral stats, he’s among the most consistent pitchers you’ll ever see, and he’s the last pitcher I’d be worried about going forward.

That said...

I’m in 100% agreement with everything else you said. Their pitching staff could be scary bad next year. I’m reasonably encouraged by Darvish’s second half and think he’ll be good going forward. Wick has some great stuff and I think could be really good. After that... yikes!

I don’t see how you can count on anything from Lester, Quintana and Kimbrel. The Cubs will be fooling themselves if they build their staff around the assumption that all three are going to have bounce back years.
 
#858      
Of course they win last night.

And the Brewers need to follow the saying of worrying only about what they can control.
 
#860      
This season has been bizarre. The single most bizarre thing to me has been the favoritism given to Albert Almora.

Almora started half the games this season while Happ was exiled to AAA. Almora got 200 more plate appearances than Happ. Happ’s OPS this season is .851, Almora’s .653.

Almora spent a good chunk of the season being platooned with Schwarber despite his pretty steep reverse splits. He has a .532 OPS against lefthanders versus Schwarber’s .756.

We went a stretch in July where Almora was leading off every game despite having quite literally the worst OBP of any non-pitcher on the team.

Almora is supposed to be there for his defense, but has put up a negative value in dWAR per BR and a negative Defensive Runs Saved per FG. He catches what he gets to, but has horrible range for a center fielder.

His demotion in August felt like the front office taking a favorite toy away from a a manager. That’s something we associate with bonehead managers like Mike Matheny, not the supposed great manager Joe Maddon. But then, I think a Maddon apologist would have a valid point in asking who else he was supposed to be putting out there before theCubs finally traded for Castellanos.
 
#861      
This season has been bizarre. The single most bizarre thing to me has been the favoritism given to Albert Almora.

Almora started half the games this season while Happ was exiled to AAA. Almora got 200 more plate appearances than Happ. Happ’s OPS this season is .851, Almora’s .653.

Almora spent a good chunk of the season being platooned with Schwarber despite his pretty steep reverse splits. He has a .532 OPS against lefthanders versus Schwarber’s .756.

We went a stretch in July where Almora was leading off every game despite having quite literally the worst OBP of any non-pitcher on the team.

Almora is supposed to be there for his defense, but has put up a negative value in dWAR per BR and a negative Defensive Runs Saved per FG. He catches what he gets to, but has horrible range for a center fielder.

His demotion in August felt like the front office taking a favorite toy away from a a manager. That’s something we associate with bonehead managers like Mike Matheny, not the supposed great manager Joe Maddon. But then, I think a Maddon apologist would have a valid point in asking who else he was supposed to be putting out there before theCubs finally traded for Castellanos.
r

Solid analyses thre. I'm still an eye test guy, but don't turn a blind eye to the advanced metrics, even if I don't understand them all. I just know Almora has looked like crap. I thought the Front office is who loved Almora, as he was their first draft pick.
 
#863      
Completely not surprised. I'd also be completely not surprised if David Ross and Joe Maddon switched spots between the Cubs' dugout and the ESPN announcers' booth.
 
#864      
JM like LaRussa could irritate from time to time with their "smartest man in the room" schtick but I think he's a solid guy in the dugout. No guarantee the next guy will be better.
 
#865      
Completely not surprised. I'd also be completely not surprised if David Ross and Joe Maddon switched spots between the Cubs' dugout and the ESPN announcers' booth.

My wife is lobbying for Ryno. At least he has some experience coaching a team. I don't know if he is a metrics guy or not.
 
#868      
My wife is lobbying for Ryno. At least he has some experience coaching a team. I don't know if he is a metrics guy or not.

I would be shocked if Sanberg were seriously considered. He’s an old fashioned, red-assed, non-analytics kind of guy. Totally not the management’s type of guy.

Joe Girardi is another guy in the same vein that you’ll hear people suggest as a candidate that would shock me if he were hired for the same reason.
 
#871      
I’ll miss you, Joe. :( You’re the guy who gave millions of Cubs fans that WS win “just in time,” including my late grandpa. Thanks for everything, and I PERSONALLY wish we had kept you. :(
 
#872      

Hoppy2105

Little Rock, Arkansas
Good luck Joe. We named our dog after you as we got her in 2016. (Maddie)

Thanks for the WS.

Next time don’t take Hendricks out while he is spinning a gem because of a BS walk call...then have Lester take over a dirty inning when you preached you wouldn’t do that. It gave us all grey hairs. :thumb:
 
#873      

Illiniaaron

Geneseo, IL
While I didn't always agree with Maddon's in-game strategy I'm a little fearful whether the Cubs will find a manager better than he was. It's clear that Theo didn't feel like Maddon could light a fire under these players and fill them with a "sense of urgency." I think Ross would be a high-risk hire since he has no managing experience and a lot of old buddies in the clubhouse.
 
#874      
While I didn't always agree with Maddon's in-game strategy I'm a little fearful whether the Cubs will find a manager better than he was. It's clear that Theo didn't feel like Maddon could light a fire under these players and fill them with a "sense of urgency." I think Ross would be a high-risk hire since he has no managing experience and a lot of old buddies in the clubhouse.


I have never liked the idea of teams hiring a manager that has not had coaching experience at some level. There have been a lot of failures in the past few years.
Especially so when it is one of the 5-6 premiere franchises such as the Cubs, Dodgers or Yankees. They can get anyone they want. Maddon is a prime example. If teams like Tampa, Marlins or San Diego want to roll the dice and take a chance it's a little more understandable because they are limited in who they can attract. Then again no MLB organization will ever call me and ask me my opinion.
 
#875      

mattcoldagelli

The Transfer Portal
Especially so when it is one of the 5-6 premiere franchises such as the Cubs, Dodgers or Yankees.

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