illinifaninwi
- DeForest, Wisconsin
Agreed. Also, the Pirates will still be a 76-80 win type of team. The AL Central is brutally bad at the bottom. Detroit may struggle to reach 60 wins.
Chicago Cubs 2018 Season
Agreed. Also, the Pirates will still be a 76-80 win type of team. The AL Central is brutally bad at the bottom. Detroit may struggle to reach 60 wins.
KBLEE
- Montgomery, IL
...at home. Their hitting is a function of the park they play in. They have half of their games on the road, though.
Joey Votto can hit anywhere. Otherwise, yeah, that bandbox/launching pad they play in is a big factor.
Not a bad strategy for a small market club. If you had to choose between watching a Reds home game or a Padres home game, I know which I’d pick.
The most unappreciated, all-around hitter of the last decade.
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
San Diego versus Cincy? Just based on the cities, I know which I'd pick as well.
San Diego versus Cincy? Just based on the cities, I know which I'd pick as well.
Hah! Yeah, maybe that was a bad example.
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
Nah, it was a good baseball example. If I were in Cincy, I'd definitely check them out at home.
Serious Late
- Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
Personal opinion, but from a purely "ballpark experience" perspective, I would much rather catch a game at Petco than Great American. Watching a pitching duel in one of baseball's best parks is better than a hitters duel in the equivalent of a nice triple-A stadium.
That is disregarding the whole San Diego vs. Cincinnati aspect of things...
That is disregarding the whole San Diego vs. Cincinnati aspect of things...
Sure, i’d rather watch a pitching duel between two top-40 or top-50 starters. Say, like a random Marcus Stroman versus Chris Archer matchup. But if it’s no-name A versus no-name B in The Ballpark Where Line Drives Go to Die, i’d rather watch the Reds or Rangers or Orioles or someone in a game that looks like a slow pitch softball exhibition.
Now, if I were one of those unsigned free agent pitchers, i’d See if I could get a short term “prove it” contract with the Padres. Live in San Diego for a bit, while putting up grotesque numbers in a pitcher friendly park.
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
Getting lotsa play down here in Houston. I’d imagine a lot in Chicago, too.
http://es.pn/2FtDbOX
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
http://es.pn/2FtDbOX
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Since the Yankees went back to back to back from ‘98-‘00, 16 teams have defended their World Series championship. No team has repeated and only 1 has even managed to make the WS. 14 of the 16 teams had a worse record than the year before and 8 of the 16 teams failed to even make the playoffs. The ‘17 Cubs were the first WS defending team to get back to the playoffs since the ‘12 Cardinals.
The World Series hangover is real. And if the Astros can avoid it, more power to them.
This team is just so much fun. Such a cute little video.
My personal favorite is probably's Happy's reaction.
https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/972871137695805440
My personal favorite is probably's Happy's reaction.
https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/972871137695805440
If true that's a good deal for the Phillies. 3 yrs is a good contract for a pitcher, especially a 32 yr old one.
If the Cubs didn’t already have Darvish, I’d be a little mad that the Cubs couldn’t get him for this. Mainly for sentimental reasons.
Cubs are actually paying Darvish $8M less over the first 3 years of the contract. Might bite them on the back end, but will make signing a big free agent next year (*Harper!*) easier.
Cubs are actually paying Darvish $8M less over the first 3 years of the contract. Might bite them on the back end, but will make signing a big free agent next year (*Harper!*) easier.
Thanks for the memories, Jake! Best of luck in Philly!
South Farms
- near Ogden & Rt 83
I loved him as a Cub and will always pull for him unless he's pitching against my beloved, and I hope we win that game 1-0.
I hope he can prove many people wrong who are saying his days as a ace are over. His run in 2016 reminded me of Sutcliffes 1984 season. You just knew you were going to either win the game or at least be in it until the 9th inning.
Watching Arietta's two no hitters, but especially the first one in LA on national ESPN will go down as 2 of the best 10 Cub pitching performances in the last 50 years.
Best wishes Jake.
I hope he can prove many people wrong who are saying his days as a ace are over. His run in 2016 reminded me of Sutcliffes 1984 season. You just knew you were going to either win the game or at least be in it until the 9th inning.
Watching Arietta's two no hitters, but especially the first one in LA on national ESPN will go down as 2 of the best 10 Cub pitching performances in the last 50 years.
Best wishes Jake.
This is probably more important than signing either of those two. Replenishing the farm system now will help ensure this teams window stays open ad infinitum. Hard to argue against most recent moves by Theo/Jed. Would like to see a few of their own pitching prospects pan out but the offseason and midseason trades have been great.
It was a signature move of Theo’s when he was with the Red Sox to trade prospects for a player on an expiring contract at the deadline and then get compensatory picks for him when he signed with another team thus restocking the system with prospects.
MLB changed those rules the Offseason Theo moved from the Red Sox to the Cubs so that you couldn’t get compensatory picks for a player acquired mid-season.
I think you could look at the Wade Davis trade as a slow motion version of that move.
Side note - if that draft pick the Cubs get for Jake becomes anything at all, it’ll just add to one of the most lopsided trades in Cubs history.
Spring training stats... take with a heavy, heavy grain of salt...
Schwarber, 27 ABs, 333/438/741
Happ, 23 ABs, 391/481/1087
Rizzo, 23 ABs, 348/423/652
Javy, 16 ABs, 313/353/563
Contreras, 14 ABs, 357/357/643
On the flip is...
Heyward, 23 ABs, 130/259/217 (of course)
Almora, 28 ABs, 142/172/429
Zobrist has a 522 OPS in 9 ABs. But that's way too small a sample size to even bother about. Russell and Bryant haven't been remarkably good or bad.
Schwarber, 27 ABs, 333/438/741
Happ, 23 ABs, 391/481/1087
Rizzo, 23 ABs, 348/423/652
Javy, 16 ABs, 313/353/563
Contreras, 14 ABs, 357/357/643
On the flip is...
Heyward, 23 ABs, 130/259/217 (of course)
Almora, 28 ABs, 142/172/429
Zobrist has a 522 OPS in 9 ABs. But that's way too small a sample size to even bother about. Russell and Bryant haven't been remarkably good or bad.
KBLEE
- Montgomery, IL
Happ needs to be playing every day. I don't care if it's in center, right, left or in the infield.
If he hits anywhere close to that, he will be.
I think Heyward's struggles this spring would be a bigger story if Almora weren't also struggling and Zobrist weren't hurt. Heyward might be the most expensive 4th outfielder in baseball by mid season if either Almora or Zobrist can swing a consistent bat.
Heyward... proven big league outfielders aren't supposed to go into an offensive free fall at age 26 absent a very apparent injury. There just really isn't any precedence for this. Not at his age and proven track record. Seems like a great guy, good teammate, does everything on and off the field at an elite level except hit. But somehow he forgot how to put the bat on the ball shortly after signing his contract with the Cubs.