Chicago Cubs 2020 Season

#476      

illini80

Forgottonia
What had the potential (at least in a normal year) to be a fun post season with the Sox, Cards, and Cubs all in the playoffs sure ended with a whimper.
 
#477      
What had the potential (at least in a normal year) to be a fun post season with the Sox, Cards, and Cubs all in the playoffs sure ended with a whimper.
The regular season had all division matchups (plus the corresponding interleage division). 4 NL Central and 3 AL Central teams made the playoffs. Those teams went 0/7 in the Wild Card Series. :tsk:
 
#478      
The regular season had all division matchups (plus the corresponding interleage division). 4 NL Central and 3 AL Central teams made the playoffs. Those teams went 0/7 in the Wild Card Series. :tsk:

Both leagues have the East 1 against the East 2 and the West 1 against the West 2.

ETA - I’m rooting for Oakland the rest of the way.
 
#479      

Illiniaaron

Geneseo, IL
David Kaplan reporting that two options regarding Theo are being discussed: with one year left on his deal, he will either stay for next year and help with rebuild or leave this offseason. No extension to be considered. In my opinion it’s probably a good time to move on now.
 
#480      
David Kaplan reporting that two options regarding Theo are being discussed: with one year left on his deal, he will either stay for next year and help with rebuild or leave this offseason. No extension to be considered. In my opinion it’s probably a good time to move on now.

Assuming the Cubs won’t increase payroll, they really only have two opinions heading into next year - tear it all down, or patch the pitching staff and let it ride.

I don’t see why either option would be particularly attractive to Epstein without a contract extension. Start a rebuild you won’t be able to see through, or let it ride and hope you draw an inside straight to an accidental World Series.
 
#481      
I'm at a state of indifference with respect to blowing it up or going around once more. They've got the bats (though obvious question marks there), and like others have said, are a couple solid pitchers away from a good team on paper.

That being said, something about trying the same thing over and over again and insanity comes to mind. Start the season, trade those guys who can return some decent prospects and field a terrible team for the next few years sounds agonizing, but it's probably the smart move.

Something else I've notice, lots of 'fans' out there saying we should be grateful this team can even make the playoffs, just because those 'fans' had to live through the Cubs not sniffing a WS for a majority of their lives. To me, if you aren't attempting toimprove your team's chances of winning a WS with every move you make, you're failing. I dont think being complacent with making the playoffs because we're the Cubs is the right hill to die on. But I also don't see how regressing over the past half decade doesn't infuriate everyone.
 
#482      
I agree. It’s possible to be appreciative of 6 straight winning seasons, 5 playoff appearances, 3 division titles and a World Series ring, while also acknowledging that this team has some major flaws that need to be addressed.

All those things I mentioned happened. But the offense imploding at the end of each of the last 3 seasons and the organization failing to develop a single contributing pitching prospect in 9 years are also things that have happened.
 
#483      
I agree. It’s possible to be appreciative of 6 straight winning seasons, 5 playoff appearances, 3 division titles and a World Series ring, while also acknowledging that this team has some major flaws that need to be addressed.

All those things I mentioned happened. But the offense imploding at the end of each of the last 3 seasons and the organization failing to develop a single contributing pitching prospect in 9 years are also things that have happened.

On second thought, Alzolay was 6th on the team in innings pitched and had a sub-3 ERA. So they did develop a single contributing pitching prospect in 9 years.
 
#486      
It is possible that the Strop/Arrieta trade impacted this team the most but I stand by the Lester signing being the most important move this franchise ever made. He was a game changer for the cubs.
 
#487      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
It is possible that the Strop/Arrieta trade impacted this team the most but I stand by the Lester signing being the most important move this franchise ever made. He was a game changer for the cubs.
And he’s buying everyone a Miller Lite at four bars on Rush Street. Unfortunately bars are closed to indoor seating in Chicago. but a great gesture nonetheless.
 
#490      
Is Hoyer really the future? Genuinely curious if the Cubs believe that. Hardly ever a fan of the internal promotion after a 'firing'.
I know you put it in scare quotes, but he’s not being fired. I think the step away and let Jed take over move has been in the works for a while now.

I think Hoyer gets a few seasons to show what he can do. It’s not like he hasn’t been in this position before. He was doing some interesting things at SD before choosing to join Epstein with the Cubs and would likely have been hired away by someone else before now if he hadn’t been assured of eventually getting the Cubs job.
 
#491      
I know you put it in scare quotes, but he’s not being fired. I think the step away and let Jed take over move has been in the works for a while now.

I think Hoyer gets a few seasons to show what he can do. It’s not like he hasn’t been in this position before. He was doing some interesting things at SD before choosing to join Epstein with the Cubs and would likely have been hired away by someone else before now if he hadn’t been assured of eventually getting the Cubs job.
Yeah, Hoyer is already the GM, how often do we talk about the president of baseball operations for other teams? I don't think his role changes too much from this.
 
#492      

Illiniaaron

Geneseo, IL
This is not a surprise and makes a lot more sense than staying on for another season. Epstein did a great job the first half of his tenure; the second half was not good and the minor league system is a disaster.
 
#493      

bdutts

Houston, Texas
This is not a surprise and makes a lot more sense than staying on for another season. Epstein did a great job the first half of his tenure; the second half was not good and the minor league system is a disaster.
Why now? Why not a couple of months ago when it was known he wasn’t signing an extension and was leaving after his contract was up? or as soon as the Cubs season was over? Timing seems strange to me.
 
#494      
Why now? Why not a couple of months ago when it was known he wasn’t signing an extension and was leaving after his contract was up? or as soon as the Cubs season was over? Timing seems strange to me.
I don’t think it’s anything particularly complicated. It’s the pre-Thanksgiving lull between the end of the season and the opening of free agency.

With Theo’s successor already in place, there wasn’t any particular reason to hurry. They picked a date all the parties agreed upon and here we are.
 
#496      
Epstein was more conservative with the Cubs than he was with Boston.

He never made a mid-season team altering trade like the Garciaparra for Mientkiewicz and Cabrera deal in 2004.

Despite a roster practically begging for it, he never had a Cubs equivalent to the 2012 trade where he dumped Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett for spare parts and then went on an epic free agent buying spree before 2013 where he brought in Victorino, Napoli, Stephen Drew, Johnny Gomes and Uehara.

The closest he ever came to the latter with the Cubs was when he dumped Castro in order to sign Zobrist before 2016.