Chicago Cubs 2025

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#2,581      
Second place is 1st loser
EyeoftheIllini said:
That video wouldn’t work for me, but found another of Rizzo and Schwarbs bunting. Fun to see cuz I hated shift. The Rizzo one I saw wasn’t a particularly good bunt (didn’t have to be with shift) and not sure if today it would have been good enough for hit (certainly good enough for a sacrifice though). The Schwarber one was a great bunt (hugged the line whole way).

I hope PCA improves his bunting. It is something every hitter should have in his arsenal. But wholesale changes to swing/approach are unfounded at this point. Yes, he he had terrible August and not very good Sept because pitchers had found some holes and he hasn’t adjusted quick enough. Guy in first full year who is 23 didn’t make adjustments quickly — not exactly unheard of. So now some people seem convinced the only adjustment he can make that will work is becoming a gap to gap hitter with plenty of bunting thrown in is beyond me.

Didn’t he make adjustments last year to have very good last two months? Didn’t he then make further adjustments in off season that led to increased BA by 10 points, increased slugging% by almost 100 points, and improving his rate for extra base hits from 1 in every 14 plate appearances to 1 in 9 this year over last. From Aug last year to end of July this year (essentially one full season) he hit .276 with 106 runs, 37 doubles, 5 triples, 34 home runs and 105 RBI. But people want to believe this Aug/Sept are the new “norm” unless he changes things up completely. Yes, he needs to make adjustments, but not scrap his whole approach. Lower his chase rate and not make every swing max effort, and let’s see what happens.
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The problem is, for THIS YEAR, we don't have anyone on the roster who can truly put pressure on the opposing teams pitcher. He's the one. He's got the big swing in the arsenal, but sometimes.....you just need him on base.

Good chance this game ends tonight in the same fashion as it has the entire second half of the year. Unless there's a barrage of long balls, the Cubs don't score.
 
#2,589      
Emerson Bigguns
hiberto said:
Swanson is another jason heyward with maybe an even worse contract. excellent defense but can't hit
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At least he’s a premium SS who hits 20 + bombs a year. Hayward was a light hitter at a power position. Dansby has been a 4-5 WAR player every season he’s been here. Hayward’s high water mark was 2.4 in a Cubs uniform. Swanson didn’t sign a contract and fall off a cliff. He’s basically the same guy he’s always been.
 
#2,590      
hiberto
Emerson Bigguns said:
At least he’s a premium SS who hits 20 + bombs a year. Hayward was a light hitter at a power position. Dansby has been a 4-5 WAR player every season he’s been here. Hayward’s high water mark was 2.4 in a Cubs uniform. Swanson didn’t sign a contract and fall off a cliff. He’s basically the same guy he’s always been.
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that's a good point. Swanson has always been this type of hitter, with heyward we expected the offensive production he had in st Louis and Atlanta to continue and it didnt
 
#2,598      
Warren Carter Fanclub
bdutts said:
Certainly, they don’t have a stopper starter, although I think Horton can be that guy. The do have great depth, though.
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Can we assume Steele is coming back full strength? Is Imanaga going to solve his HR problem? Can you count on Ben Brown and his 2 pitch repertoire? Will Asaad's apparent luck based on his analytics continue? IMO, I'm concerned about their depth. We need a couple of starters.
 
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#2,600      
Emerson Bigguns
Red77sng said:
Swanson is another overrated pickup by Hoyer 19 strikeouts in the playoffs
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I guess you didn’t watch the WC series. Dansby made several plays that changed the games. It’s not like people think he’s an all star. He’s a GG caliber SS with some pop, but a lot of holes in his swing. He made 25.3 million this year. Fangraphs estimates his value this season to have been 26.7 million. He’s almost exactly, properly rated.

We just didn’t have the juice needed to get it done this year. Might have been a lot more fun if Justin Steele had been healthy this year, or if we,d have had the balls to go get another legitimate starter at the deadline.

The good news is the team doesn't need a lot to be really good next year. Going to have to rebuild the bullpen again, but if there is one thing Jed is really good at, it’s that.

I think they let Tucker walk. Between Cassie, Alcantara, Ballesteros, and Suzuki, RF and DH should be covered. The 5 man rotation is good, assuming they pick up Imanaga’s option, but you need 6 or 7 SP these days. Someone will get hurt. It’s just the way things go in this day and age. Keeping Rea for 6 million makes a lot of sense.

Getting back in the Dylan Cease business would be fine with me…
 
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