Bye, bye, Kyle Tucker
Chicago Cubs 2025
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Nobody told me there'd be days like these
Nobody told me there'd be days like these
Nobody told me there'd be days like these
Strange days indeed
Most peculiar, mama
Will likely have to rebuild bullpen. Quite a few of them are free agents. Pretty certain Keller, Pomeranz and Thielbar are UFA. Think Kitteridge has a club option, while Rea has player option. Definitely need to improve bench too. Moises and Alcantara are a good starting point, though wouldn’t rule out one of them being used as trade bait for a SP.
Fun season, bad ending. Some work to be done in offseason. If Shaw and PCA can take steps forward, it will help mitigate the loss of Tucker and relieve some of the pressure on Owen as he steps into starting lineup.
Agreed, mostly. Endings in sports are almost always bad. We could have played better, but we certainly made it interesting after getting boat raced in the first two games. Only one team will go home happy.
I’ll be rooting for whomever comes out of the AL…
On an unrelated note, it’s interesting that so many people talk about small ball and winning without the HR… This time of year, the pitching is so good its really hard to string together a bunch of base hits. Yeah, we lost to the Brewers, but we lost to the Brewers when they hit the ball over the fence and we didn’t.
Yep, I’m an old geezer, so I remember when small ball was more prevalent and players could handle the bat better. But those days are for the most part gone and people can’t seem to wrap their heads around that. I think this year there were about 25 players who hit .280 or higher but 50 guys who hit 25 or more home runs. I’d bet back in the early 1970s, those numbers would be reversed. And the shift in philosophy is not just a result of players’ mindsets, it is management making those calls in part at least because pitchers are better — especially relief pitchers.
I don't disagree with most of this, but tonight the Cubs had 1st and 2nd with nobody out in a one run game. The runner made it to third base. That happened WAY, WAY, WAY too many times this year.
You're 100% right, at this point in the season, all of the arms are great. That said, with 1st and 2nd, nobody out and the heart of the order up.....that was the ball game. If Tucker hits the ball to the right side moving the runners over and they get a fly ball....it's 2-2 and the momentum changes. That was the key moment in the game. Have to pick up a run there.
Again, that situation has happened WAY too many times this year to just ignore it as a one off. A lot of games were lost because of the single dimension of this offense.
Illiniaaron
- Geneseo, IL
What is the big controversy about this? Why not work on command of the strike zone and being a better bunter? I'm not asking him to lay down 40 bunts a year. Just take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves. He bunted twice the other night and they both kind of sucked.
Illiniaaron
- Geneseo, IL
We hardly knew ye.
We need two starters to go with Horton, Steele and Taillon. Cease and Gallen would fit nicely. If Jed feels Imanaga can find that edge, then get Cease or someone similar. If we only get one starter, then we have a battle between Boyd and Shota. Develop Brown as the closer to go along with Keller, Palencia, Theilbar and Pomeranz. We need to figure out Ballesteros. Is he the catcher of the future or a LH DH? If he is the saturating catcher next year, sign Schwarber. We are not that far off.
2X2L
- Metaluna
Johnny! 85th birthday was 10/9.
Better team won. Nevertheless, it was a very good second year under Counsell. 92 wins and advancing past the Wild Card is something to carry into next season. Need a few more pieces and I think we can be even better next year. Kyle Tucker can go somewhere else. He was a dud for us this year. Bring back Schwarber I am all for that.
I don't see the loss to Milwaukee as a pitching problem. This team has been lifeless offensively since August.
In 8 games of playoff baseball, how many games did they score more than 3 runs? 5-9 in the order was absolutely useless.
In 8 games of playoff baseball, how many games did they score more than 3 runs? 5-9 in the order was absolutely useless.
I think this will be the first time in my life that I root for the American league in the World Series.
A lot of Cardinal fans down here. 90% of them are morons. I've rooted for the AL plenty of times.
I also rooted for the Sox when they were playing.
My reply to a post on him needing to work on bunting that started all this was meant somewhat tongue in cheek to illustrate my feelings that there were other more important things for a player of his potential to work on. But, of course, he can work on more than one thing and as I’ve said, everyone should be able to bunt. My issue is it seems some do think he should bunt 40 times a year and others have advocated to turn him into a gap to gap hitter. He does not need to completely alter his approach and very likely his swing, and not play to his power. And I highly doubt the Cubs want a player who hit 31 HRs at age 23 to not continue to work on how to best tap into his power consistently. Yet one poster said PCA isn’t a power hitter. Tied for 21st in league for homers, 29th in slugging and 19th in total bases does have s whiff of power hitter to me.
KBLEE
- Montgomery, IL
The average MLB player is 6'2" and 209 lbs. So - PCA is 2 inches and 26 lbs below average. The body-type alone does not translate to power hitter. Anyone who sells out and swings for the fences every at-bat is going to make some hard contact every once in awhile. But, his second half proved that is not what he should be doing. Plate discipline, shortening up with 2 strikes, etc. will help him raise his average and allow him to get on base more. This will be much more valuable to the team than a HR every week and a ton of strikeouts. And, yes, bunting is a part of that.
The question is and I don't claim to know the answer: What would be more valuable to the Cubs? PCA (with his speed) getting 4 total bases with 4 singles.....or hitting a HR (with a chance of some being with men on base)?
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Note to 2026 Chicago Cubs: Remember this, boys. Never saw a team championship picture taunting the team they just narrowly beat. Real classy.
And this includes you, Jed and Tom.
And this includes you, Jed and Tom.
That’s along the lines of my wish list for off season too, but unfortunately I don’t think our wishes come true. I think even if they don’t extend Shota, best we’ll get is one top tier free agent SP. And if they do extend him they better be right about being able to reverse the HRs allowed trend. I try not to succumb to recency bias , but it is hard to overlook 27 in 173.1 IP (which is still high) in 2024 to 21 in first 117 IP of 2025 to 13 in last 34.1 IP (including playoffs).
I also don’t see them signing Schwarber. In fact, I have severe doubts whether they’ll sign any top offensive FA. Hopefully they at least spend more money on bench than they did in off season last year. As much as I’d love to see Schwarbs back in Cubs uni, I’d grudgingly be happy with a top line middle infielder reserve and a veteran OF bat as insurance against Owen struggling to replace Tucker. On Moises, he isn’t a starting catcher now or in future. He’s only thrown out 18% of runners while in minors and that percentage has dropped at higher levels with only 14.5% over last two seasons. Compare that to Kelly’s 34% this year and lifetime marks of 27% in majors and 32% in minors.
As to bullpen, I believe Keller, Theilbar and Pomeranz are all UFA. Probably will try to retain most if not all, but likely still looking at some turnover. I have no problem with converting Brown into full-time RP, but they cannot go into season with him penciled in as the closer. He may get there at some point, but can’t depend on it for 2026.
Totally agree Cubs aren’t that far off. I just have a feeling Jed and company might primarily look internally to close the gap Going to need a lot of luck for that to be a winning recipe in 2026.
KBLEE
- Montgomery, IL
With his speed, he's going to get his share of doubles and triples. And, it's not that he's going to stop hitting HRs, it's just that it shouldn't be something he's focusing on. I'd be much happier if he only hits 20 HR, if it comes with an increase in plate discipling that bumps his average and results in more consistent contact.
Still a great season. They just took the best team in baseball to a deciding game 5 and were in it until the end. And that's minus their 2 best starting pitchers for the series.
They need to find guys that work counts and can get on base next year. Relied way to much on the long ball this year. But, what a season. I missed playoff baseball. Nice to return again.
They need to find guys that work counts and can get on base next year. Relied way to much on the long ball this year. But, what a season. I missed playoff baseball. Nice to return again.
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