Chicago Cubs 2026

#951      
jjv0004
So, I realize this is simplistic but go back to the tanking drawing board of 2010-2013. Those awful years netted Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Ian Happ and Kyle Schwarber. Tear it down to build it back up. The White Sox have stunk for several years and now have some really good young talent.

This Cubs team is going nowhere. Blow it up.
 
#953      
Emerson Bigguns
jjv0004 said:
So, I realize this is simplistic but go back to the tanking drawing board of 2010-2013. Those awful years netted Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Ian Happ and Kyle Schwarber. Tear it down to build it back up. The White Sox have stunk for several years and now have some really good young talent.

This Cubs team is going nowhere. Blow it up.
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Not sure how much of an option that is going to be...

They could move on from Happ (no trade clause), Imanaga, Tallion, and Suzuki, as they are all UFA at the end of the season. All would garner some level of interest from contenders, if they are assumed to be healthy.

Might be able to get something for Conforto, who has been decent off the bench. Hoby Milner might get you a lottery ticket type prospect.

The infield is locked up and expensive for at least 3 more years, as is PCA. (who we wouldn't want to trade anyway) Bregman and Hoerner have full no trade clauses.

The offense has been bad with RISP, but overall above average.

I think the real and obvious issue is that we just haven't pitched well enough. We are #1 in HR allowed, and bottom 3rd in just about any category that matters. When you have the number of injuries we've had, it's just really hard to be above average when guys who were your contingency plans in the offseason have more starts than the guys you penciled in. It's also the first year in a awhile that Jed hasn't been able to cobble together a decent bullpen.

These issues can be fixed in a single off-season w/o a full rebuild, especially if our "plan A" starters are healthy again at some point.
 
#955      
Grandpa
The games we lost weren't 8 to 7. Cubs couldn't score. Blaming the pitching isn't right.
 
#956      
Emerson Bigguns
champaignchris said:
Cubs’ bullpen ERA is actually 10th in the Majors. Granted, it’s being helped massively by the Cubs’ elite defense (one of the few areas the team has actually lived up to expectations), but I’d still argue that it’s approaching decent.
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Mediocre is probably the right word, but they have the worst save% in baseball, though also the fewest opportunities. (10 saves in 21 chances)

More often than not, when we win, we win big.

Remarkably, we have nearly as many walk-off wins (8) as saves (10).

Our pitching staff as a whole has the lowest WAR in baseball, which isn't surprising considering how many of the guys we've used have legitimately been replacement players...
 
#957      
Warren Carter Fanclub
Emerson Bigguns said:
Not sure how much of an option that is going to be...

They could move on from Happ (no trade clause), Imanaga, Tallion, and Suzuki, as they are all UFA at the end of the season. All would garner some level of interest from contenders, if they are assumed to be healthy.

Might be able to get something for Conforto, who has been decent off the bench. Hoby Milner might get you a lottery ticket type prospect.

The infield is locked up and expensive for at least 3 more years, as is PCA. (who we wouldn't want to trade anyway) Bregman and Hoerner have full no trade clauses.

The offense has been bad with RISP, but overall above average.

I think the real and obvious issue is that we just haven't pitched well enough. We are #1 in HR allowed, and bottom 3rd in just about any category that matters. When you have the number of injuries we've had, it's just really hard to be above average when guys who were your contingency plans in the offseason have more starts than the guys you penciled in. It's also the first year in a awhile that Jed hasn't been able to cobble together a decent bullpen.

These issues can be fixed in a single off-season w/o a full rebuild, especially if our "plan A" starters are healthy again at some point.
Click to expand...
Even with the injuries we've had on our staff, if you look at the last putrid 5 weeks, it's the hitting that has been deficient, particularly the hitting w/RISP.
The contingency plan guys (with the exception of Wicks) have actually been pretty good.
 
#958      
Mr. Tibbs
my hats off to you diehards that continue to pay to watch . I haven’t had Marquee for two years so I’m limited to national tv or cubs-sox games

right now I refuse to go in person or pay the monthly nut to get frustrated

I’m sad that a whole new generation of POTENTIAL fans can’t watch for free . As a lad , I did from 1969-1982 and it was great
 
#961      
Illiniaaron
I didn’t hear Palencia went back on the injured list until the fourth inning tonight. And now Cabrera has to leave, probably because of his blister. I just don’t think it’s gonna happen for the Cubs this season.
 
#962      
Warren Carter Fanclub
Couldn't take any more after the 7th inning.
Another day at the office.
Palencia to IL. Cabrera will probably follow.
0-8 w/RISP after 7 innings.
Swanson will have to have a 10 game hitting streak if he wants to get up to the Mendoza line.
Hoerner continues to fall off a cliff.
Couple more outs and we'll be 8 games out.
My dislike for this team is growing leaps and bounds daily.
 
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#963      
Illiniaaron
I would send Ballesteros down to Iowa but I don’t know who in the hell you would bring up. I’ve seen enough of Alcantera.
 
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