Cubs 2022 Season

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#176      
I think the Heyward contract is probably #1. I think a couple other options are the inability to develop major league pitching, the Quintana trade, and Kris Bryant’s regression from superstar to above average.
Seriously, after 2016 not much went right.
Schwarber was up and down.
Soler trade
Zobrist’s abrupt exit
Darvish contract (quite a roller coaster)

It’s almost like they are cursed or something…
There's so many I forgot about the Quintana trade !
 
#177      
To me the top issues, in no particular order:

1. The inability to replace Dexter Fowler. The Cubs never had a good answer at CF or lead off hitter after he left. Neither the lineup nor the outfield ever really worked after he was gone.

2. The implosion of Addison Russell. An All-Star shortstop just evaporated.

3. Failure to develop any homegrown pitching for nearly a decade.

4. Repeatedly paying way too much in prospects and free agency money for short-term closer solutions.

5. Quintana not being the player he was with the Sox after being traded to the Cubs.

6. Stagnation and regression of young hitters after reaching the MLB.

7. General lack of urgency in the organization after 2018, coinciding with ownership shutting down any further big free agency signings. Inability or unwillingness to shake things up when things had obviously gotten stagnant in 2019-21.

I wouldn’t have the Darvish or Heyward signings in the top 7 of what went wrong. Heyward’s contract hasn’t been a constraint on spending for 2 or 3 seasons now, and he actually came reasonably close to giving his contract value from 17-20.
 
#178      
To me the top issues, in no particular order:

1. The inability to replace Dexter Fowler. The Cubs never had a good answer at CF or lead off hitter after he left. Neither the lineup nor the outfield ever really worked after he was gone.

2. The implosion of Addison Russell. An All-Star shortstop just evaporated.

3. Failure to develop any homegrown pitching for nearly a decade.

4. Repeatedly paying way too much in prospects and free agency money for short-term closer solutions.

5. Quintana not being the player he was with the Sox after being traded to the Cubs.

6. Stagnation and regression of young hitters after reaching the MLB.

7. General lack of urgency in the organization after 2018, coinciding with ownership shutting down any further big free agency signings. Inability or unwillingness to shake things up when things had obviously gotten stagnant in 2019-21.

I wouldn’t have the Darvish or Heyward signings in the top 7 of what went wrong. Heyward’s contract hasn’t been a constraint on spending for 2 or 3 seasons now, and he actually came reasonably close to giving his contract value from 17-20.
In regard to Heyward, over the past 8 seasons a player has been worth about 6.8 million per W.A.R. A far market value for Heyward would have been about 12-14 million per year in his best years as a Cub. (17-19) He has been receiving anywhere between double and triple his actual value to the club since he signed. His bloated salary is a big part of the reason we were over the tax for several seasons, forcing the front office to do a salary re-set to avoid compounding Luxury tax penalties.

It's not Jason's fault, but it was a significant mistake.
 
#179      
In regard to Heyward, over the past 8 seasons a player has been worth about 6.8 million per W.A.R. A far market value for Heyward would have been about 12-14 million per year in his best years as a Cub. (17-19) He has been receiving anywhere between double and triple his actual value to the club since he signed. His bloated salary is a big part of the reason we were over the tax for several seasons, forcing the front office to do a salary re-set to avoid compounding Luxury tax penalties.

It's not Jason's fault, but it was a significant mistake.
And before somebody mentions it, "the speech" was not worth the difference of his pay and what the stats say he was worth.
 
#180      
And before somebody mentions it, "the speech" was not worth the difference of his pay and what the stats say he was worth.
Look, all I know is I can't confirm whether we win the world series without Heyward. The only facts I have are Jason Heyward was on the Cubs when we won a world series, so I can't accurately draw the conclusion that he didn't play a part in it happening. Therefore Heyward is worth all the headache, because the Cubs may not have won the world series without him.
 
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#181      
The problem with the Cubs is ultimately a failure of management to:

1) Make Change
2) Spend Money

Pure and simple. Jason Heyward is not a problem. Ricketts, Ross, Jed, Theo - these are the guys who own the problem.
 
#182      
The problem with the Cubs is ultimately a failure of management to:

1) Make Change
2) Spend Money

Pure and simple. Jason Heyward is not a problem. Ricketts, Ross, Jed, Theo - these are the guys who own the problem.
They spent plenty of money. They've been in the top 1/3rd of the league in salary since the Ricketts took over. (top 5 in 2018(#4) &2019 (#2))

Even with this lousy team they are right at league average.

That's not to mention the massive investment they had to make to renovate Wrigley. (575 million, $0 in public funds)
 
#183      
Building a team through free agency where you have to out bid every other team in the league for a player is not a good idea. Free agency should be used to fill in gaps. This team is one giant gap right now. Let the young guys start to filter up and then go get what you need to get over the top or at least put you in the mix. They could spend some more money on short term deals like the Stroman deal but how many guys are taking that when others are offering 5+ years.
 
#187      
Top of the 10th. Çubs up 6-5, two men on. Cards intentionally walk to load the bases hoping for double play to end the threat. Yep. Bring in a reliever to Induce a ground ball. It worked. But then Çub reliever fastball high to end gàme. Bàseball is beautiful.
 
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#188      

Illiniaaron

Geneseo, IL
Always good when the Cubs beat the Cardinals.
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#195      
The Cubs just lost their 48th game this season and the 8th in extra innings, the most in baseball.

1 in every 6 of their losses has been in extras.
 
#199      
Because they have one of the worst batting averages with RISP
Yup.

MLB batting average is .242.

Cubs have a .249 average overall, but .223 with RISP. But it feels worse than that.

Some of that is baserunning. They’re horrible scoring from second on a base hit. You saw that today with Simmons failing to score on Ortega’s single in the 10th. Simmons was a pinch runner. Why bother even taking Gomes out if you’re not sending Simmons on that hit?
 
#200      
Yup.

MLB batting average is .242.

Cubs have a .249 average overall, but .223 with RISP. But it feels worse than that.

Some of that is baserunning. They’re horrible scoring from second on a base hit. You saw that today with Simmons failing to score on Ortega’s single in the 10th. Simmons was a pinch runner. Why bother even taking Gomes out if you’re not sending Simmons on that hit?
That was an unfortunate play but the three terrible pitches Contreras lunged at was pathetic. I grew up playing organized baseball and the first thing I was taught was to take until you get a strike. Those three pitches were balls. He turned 3-0 to a three pitch strike out. He mailed in that at bat.
 
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