Cubs 2023 Season

Mr. Tibbs · Dec 16, 2022

Greensboro said:
This is a depressing thread, central Illinois, why didn't i pick the Cardinals to root for as a kid?

oh yeah, first team I remember following was the 69 cubs...should have learned my lesson that year

I was born in September 1961
we lived on the southside , in Roseland, but the Sox were not all the good in the late 1960's.
The Cubs were on WGN
The Sox were on WFLD 32 or W??? Channel 44 and UHF was kinda new and really all snowy on the 19" Zenith or Admiral TV my folks had back then.
My dad was more inclined to the Cubs, they were decent in 1967-1970 (real good until August in 1969) and becoming a Cub fan as a 6 or 7 year old was way easier for me due to TV mainly. Id run home from school at 3 and catch the last 2 innings of most weekday games.
The Sox on the UHF channels were unwatchable due to terrible reception.

thats my excuse

I still recall getting a "Cub Power" T shirt in summer 1969 and the Jewel giving out cheap 5*7 photos of Cub players - a different one every week.

IanKEvans2 · Dec 16, 2022

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1603754765644693506

champaignchris · Dec 16, 2022

IanKEvans2 said:
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1603754765644693506

16th/30.

Forbes lists the Cubs as the 4th most valuable franchise in MLB behind only the Yankees, Dodgers and Red Sox.

And there’s a bigger gap between the Cubs at 4 and the Giants at 5 than there is between the Cubs at 4 and the Dodgers at 2.

From last March:

Baseball’s Most Valuable Teams 2022: Yankees Hit $6 Billion As New CBA Creates New Revenue Streams

MLB is introducing ads on uniforms and expanding its postseason, helping drive up the average value of its teams to a record $2.07 billion.

www.forbes.com

Mr. Roberts · Dec 16, 2022

Mr. Tibbs said:
I was born in September 1961
we lived on the southside , in Roseland, but the Sox were not all the good in the late 1960's.
The Cubs were on WGN
The Sox were on WFLD 32 or W??? Channel 44 and UHF was kinda new and really all snowy on the 19" Zenith or Admiral TV my folks had back then.
My dad was more inclined to the Cubs, they were decent in 1967-1970 (real good until August in 1969) and becoming a Cub fan as a 6 or 7 year old was way easier for me due to TV mainly. Id run home from school at 3 and catch the last 2 innings of most weekday games.
The Sox on the UHF channels were unwatchable due to terrible reception.

thats my excuse

I still recall getting a "Cub Power" T shirt in summer 1969 and the Jewel giving out cheap 5*7 photos of Cub players - a different one every week.

Geez. Also born in Roseland in1959. Went to my first game in 69 with my dad and my grandpa. He tended bar in a cop bar (Hunt's), so we had 3rd row seats. Ernie and Hickman homered. Been cursed to be a Cub fan ever since.

SKane · Dec 16, 2022

Does anyone remember this 1969 song?

The 1969 Cubs team was really good - which made the collapse so demoralizing.

Warren Carter Fanclub · Dec 16, 2022

Mr. Tibbs said:
I was born in September 1961
we lived on the southside , in Roseland, but the Sox were not all the good in the late 1960's.
The Cubs were on WGN
The Sox were on WFLD 32 or W??? Channel 44 and UHF was kinda new and really all snowy on the 19" Zenith or Admiral TV my folks had back then.
My dad was more inclined to the Cubs, they were decent in 1967-1970 (real good until August in 1969) and becoming a Cub fan as a 6 or 7 year old was way easier for me due to TV mainly. Id run home from school at 3 and catch the last 2 innings of most weekday games.
The Sox on the UHF channels were unwatchable due to terrible reception.

thats my excuse

I still recall getting a "Cub Power" T shirt in summer 1969 and the Jewel giving out cheap 5*7 photos of Cub players - a different one every week.

I might be wrong but I think Channel 44 was WSNS.

bdutts · Dec 16, 2022

SKane said:
Does anyone remember this 1969 song?

The 1969 Cubs team was really good - which made the collapse so demoralizing.

Sure I know that one.

Mr. Tibbs · Dec 17, 2022

Cubs sign Dansby Swanson

ChiefGritty · Dec 17, 2022

Well it helps. Let's see the numbers

For a business whose money comes from selling tickets to baseball games and selling commercials to air during baseball game broadcasts, they really didn't have much choice here.

IanKEvans2 · Dec 17, 2022

ChiefGritty said:
Well it helps. Let's see the numbers

For a business whose money comes from selling tickets to baseball games and selling commercials to air during baseball game broadcasts, they really didn't have much choice here.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1604226354886676482

ChiefGritty · Dec 17, 2022

IanKEvans2 said:
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1604226354886676482

That's not bad, especially if his defense can stay around the level it's at into his mid 30's.

I wouldn't choose that deal over Correa's, but I'll at least grant that you could make a straight-faced argument why you would.

champaignchris · Dec 17, 2022

7 at $177 is reasonable.

Swanson isn’t as sexy as some of the other SS’s thet signed this year, but is a solid player. You’re hoping for about a .775 OPS, 25 HRs, and top third of the League defense.

With Hoerner at 2nd and Bellinger in CF, the Cubs have as good defense up the middle as anyone in baseball.

The Cubs think 3rd is Morel’s best position. So we’ll probably see a lot of him there. Madrigal becomes the Tommy LaStella clone he was always meant to be and could be trade bait.

I’d still like to see another corner infielder/DH type bat. Justin Turner would fit the lineup perfectly. They also need a catcher - trade some of their starting pitching depth for one of the Blue Jays’ catchers? Another starter would be nice. I still expect them to re-sign Smyly. And then there’ll be another couple cheap bullpen parts.

ChiefGritty · Dec 17, 2022

champaignchris said:
With Hoerner at 2nd and Bellinger in CF, the Cubs have as good defense up the middle as anyone in baseball.

For a season in which defensive range may suddenly explode in importance, you see the theory at work here.

Mr. Roberts · Dec 17, 2022

OK - that's a fine signing. Now they just need two corner infielders, an impact DH, and a catcher.

Warren Carter Fanclub · Dec 17, 2022

They now need to spend the money they saved by not signing the other 3 ss's.

bdutts · Dec 17, 2022

Cubs offense may lead the league in strikeouts. They were 6th last year. Unfortunately, they are in the bottom half of the league in HR.

They better find some pitching…

DeonThomas · Dec 17, 2022

Greensboro said:
This is a depressing thread, central Illinois, why didn't i pick the Cardinals to root for as a kid?

oh yeah, first team I remember following was the 69 cubs...should have learned my lesson that year

Blasphemy!!

DeonThomas · Dec 18, 2022

DeonThomas said:
1. Hoerner - 2B
2. Swanson - SS
3. Happ - LF (Switch)
4. Suzuki - RF
5. Bellinger - CF (Left)
6. Reyes, F. - DH
7. Mervis - 1B (Left)
8. Wisdom - 3B
9. Higgins/Gomes - C

A little bit of experience; a little bit of youth; more than a little bit of risk.

How about Hosmer as part-time 1B/DH? We could absolutely use another left-handed bat.

I think we only have to pay the league minimum, because SD is paying most everything else.

Illiniaaron · Dec 19, 2022

champaignchris said:
7 at $177 is reasonable.

Swanson isn’t as sexy as some of the other SS’s thet signed this year, but is a solid player. You’re hoping for about a .775 OPS, 25 HRs, and top third of the League defense.

With Hoerner at 2nd and Bellinger in CF, the Cubs have as good defense up the middle as anyone in baseball.

The Cubs think 3rd is Morel’s best position. So we’ll probably see a lot of him there. Madrigal becomes the Tommy LaStella clone he was always meant to be and could be trade bait.

I’d still like to see another corner infielder/DH type bat. Justin Turner would fit the lineup perfectly. They also need a catcher - trade some of their starting pitching depth for one of the Blue Jays’ catchers? Another starter would be nice. I still expect them to re-sign Smyly. And then there’ll be another couple cheap bullpen parts.

I don't think Madrigal could break through a paper bag even when he hits a line drive.

Emerson Bigguns · Dec 19, 2022

Illiniaaron said:
I don't think Madrigal could break through a paper bag even when he hits a line drive.

Last year was the only season in his professional career that he didn't hit .300+. I think it would be foolish to assume he can't get back there. I'm glad it's not plan A, but it's a solid plan B.

hiberto · Dec 19, 2022

Mr. Roberts said:
OK - that's a fine signing. Now they just need two corner infielders, an impact DH, and a catcher.

and an ace starting pitcher would be nice. stroman is not an ace and who knows how Hendricks will be post-injury. hopefully some of the young arms we have will take good steps forward this spring

champaignchris · Dec 20, 2022

Unfortunately, I think the remainder of the offseason is going to be pretty underwhelming.

Drew Smyly is all but re-signed. That's the last of the starting pitching we'll see.

There will be a defense-first back-up catcher - Tucker Barnhart or similar.

We'll see one or two bullpen pieces. Maybe we'll get a relative big name like Adam Ottavino or Michael Fulmer, but more likely not.

I'm also hoping for a corner infield/DH bat like Conforto or Mancini, but I'm not holding my breath.

The only real bit of intrigue is that the Cubs are going to be a few guys over the 40-man limit. So expect a trade. I could see some of their backup infielders (Madrigal, McKinstry, Mastrobuoni) or back of the rotation depth (Assad, Leiter, Sampson) heading out. Unfortunately, I think the most exciting thing they might get back is a bullpen part. More likely though, they'd be getting a minor leaguer that they don't have to put on their 40-man.

ChiefGritty · Dec 20, 2022

champaignchris said:
Unfortunately, I think the remainder of the offseason is going to be pretty underwhelming.

There isn't a free agent left on the board that would make it anything but that.

The guys you list are some of the best names still out there.

I can understand why you'd rather do the Swanson deal than the Correa one (even if I ultimately disagree). I can see why you'd be leery of the Kodai Senga deal and more comfortable with someone like Smyly. But why is 3/30 for Christian Vazquez not a deal we were all over? That one puzzles me.

champaignchris · Dec 20, 2022

ChiefGritty said:
I can understand why you'd rather do the Swanson deal than the Correa one (even if I ultimately disagree). I can see why you'd be leery of the Kodai Senga deal and more comfortable with someone like Smyly. But why is 3/30 for Christian Vazquez not a deal we were all over? That one puzzles me.

Where they’ve ended up was clearly not the plan at catcher. I don’t know what the plan was, but this can’t have been it.

Another maddening part of the catcher equation is when you look at how little the Brewers gave up to get William Contreras. Cubs couldn’t have beaten that?

Mr. Tibbs · Dec 20, 2022

the most maddening part really, was we had a pretty decent catcher and we let him go , and we really wont save any money with the next guy.
and next year we will get to watch him single handedly beat us 3 or 4 times