[ W ] #32
(missed [ W ] #31)
(missed [ W ] #31)
Yep; magic numbers are:If I’m looking at the tiebreakers right, the Cubs clinch a playoff spot tonight if they win and the Reds beat the Brewers.
I will have to disagree with that take. The core has taken several steps back each year since 2016 and it's clear that they are nothing more than a mediocre team that is carried by pitching (Yu and Hendricks) and a lineup that looks good about once a week. My personal opinion is to blow it up and start over and to not have Theo and Jed be the ones to preside over the rebuildI hate knee jerk reactions, but considering almost identical problems to last years team, there needs to be a shake up.
Whether it be trading some of our MLB talent for prospects, or signing a major free agent or two, this team clearly has multiple holes, none of which can be fixed by grasping on the 2016 team any longer.
The Cubs are likely going to drop 3 of 4 to the pirates, a team which might have trouble winning a series against a good AAA team.
In 16, there were 4+ guys under 25 who you could see making a hall of fame, or hall adjacent career path. Now, I think it'll take a huge turnaround for any one of those guys to be included on a ballot, outside Lester who was already headed that way then anyway.
Not sure who's to blame, my running theory is Theo taking MLB ready talent over potential early on really hurt us, but I honestly can't complain about how 16 came together. I'd argue winning a WS is by far the hardest major league trophy to obtain. The fact still remains that that was 4 years ago and none of the teams since really had a shot.
No reason to think a full on rebuild needs to happen, but philosphical changes do. If we had some nuts farm system about to pop with talent I would be less than concerned, but there's little in the well. I think this offseason is massively important for the next few years of Cubs baseball.
I still think this team has enough talent to at least compete for a WS. How many years does the best team in baseball actually win it? It's at least less than a 50% clip. Though I guess there's objective ways to determine that.
Anyways, all I'm saying it I don't think it's time to officially say the cubs need to completely gut their roster of MLB level talent, tank to the tune of 90+ losses, and in 5 years be were they were in like 2015. There's enough talent under control for another year or two that I think with a little retooling of the roster, you could get back into being a top 5 team in baseball very quickly.
That being said, I don't know if Theo/Jed are capable of that. Not by any means saying I have the answer, and it definitely isn't easy. I just think Theo is good at building a team up. I don't think he's shown he can maintain a team for more than a few years at best.
Trade some redundant talent (how much would Contreras net?), shed dead weight as much as fiscally possible, bring in real solutions to real problems (lead off, closer), hope some younger pitching talent breaks through, and trust that regression to the mean for your stars happens. Spend real money, don't be afraid to go over the cap because in a few years it wont matter the penalty is stricter, you've either failed at maintaining a quality team and tanking will be required, or you've put yourself in a situation to win WS(s).
That did not go as planned...Happy Brailyn Marquez Day!
[ W ] #34
Marlins/Cubs, eh?
Total joke of an offense. Third base coach also should be fired for sending Contreras, no chance. Baez fly to end the inning would have been a sac fly for a run.