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Chicago Cubs 2017 Season
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<blockquote data-quote="champaignchris" data-source="post: 1274730" data-attributes="member: 26283"><p>Starting pitching is really a bigger question for me heading into 2018 and beyond. As for 2017, the Cubs have as much depth and quality as anyone else in the Majors. Sure, a bunch of injuries can happen. You see injury clusters around the starters all the time. But other than not-exhausting your pitchers (something Theo, Maddon, and crew are very cognizant of), there's not a whole Hell of a lot you can do about it. </p><p></p><p>My biggest concerns are regression among some of the young hitters, Contreras, Russell and Baez in particular, and then whether they'll get any production out of center field. </p><p></p><p>I feel that Heyward will probably bounce back. There's no real reason to think that he's permanently broken. But obviously we won't be certain until the games start to happen.</p><p></p><p>I'd hate to see a situation where Bryant, Rizzo, and an older Zobrist are the only guys giving them consistent at bats. Dexter was just another steady veteran presence that a team like the Cubs shouldn't NEED, but was really nice to have.</p><p></p><p>On the flip side - it's perfectly reasonable to think Baez, Contreras, Russell, Schwarber, Almora and even Bryant will all improve. They're at the age where getting better is the natural progression of things. They probably don't all improve individually, but as an aggregate that group should be better than they were last year.</p><p></p><p>Heyward and Jay should have snap-back seasons. Jay was in the midst of a bounce back season last year when he got his hand broke by a wild pitch. Heyward has five years of evidence that would seem to indicate that he's a far better hitter than what we saw last year. Neither have to post career year numbers to make the Cubs better. They just have to not suck (to steal a phrase). </p><p></p><p>Wade Davis' WAR over the last 3 years (since he was put back in the pen): 8.9. Here is the entire list of relief pitchers who have been better over the same span of time: Zach Britton (9.3). If healthy (and Davis had been healthy his entire career until last year), Davis will be the best relief pitcher in the league.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="champaignchris, post: 1274730, member: 26283"] Starting pitching is really a bigger question for me heading into 2018 and beyond. As for 2017, the Cubs have as much depth and quality as anyone else in the Majors. Sure, a bunch of injuries can happen. You see injury clusters around the starters all the time. But other than not-exhausting your pitchers (something Theo, Maddon, and crew are very cognizant of), there's not a whole Hell of a lot you can do about it. My biggest concerns are regression among some of the young hitters, Contreras, Russell and Baez in particular, and then whether they'll get any production out of center field. I feel that Heyward will probably bounce back. There's no real reason to think that he's permanently broken. But obviously we won't be certain until the games start to happen. I'd hate to see a situation where Bryant, Rizzo, and an older Zobrist are the only guys giving them consistent at bats. Dexter was just another steady veteran presence that a team like the Cubs shouldn't NEED, but was really nice to have. On the flip side - it's perfectly reasonable to think Baez, Contreras, Russell, Schwarber, Almora and even Bryant will all improve. They're at the age where getting better is the natural progression of things. They probably don't all improve individually, but as an aggregate that group should be better than they were last year. Heyward and Jay should have snap-back seasons. Jay was in the midst of a bounce back season last year when he got his hand broke by a wild pitch. Heyward has five years of evidence that would seem to indicate that he's a far better hitter than what we saw last year. Neither have to post career year numbers to make the Cubs better. They just have to not suck (to steal a phrase). Wade Davis' WAR over the last 3 years (since he was put back in the pen): 8.9. Here is the entire list of relief pitchers who have been better over the same span of time: Zach Britton (9.3). If healthy (and Davis had been healthy his entire career until last year), Davis will be the best relief pitcher in the league. [/QUOTE]
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