Cubs 2023 Season

Illinicpa14 · Sep 29, 2023

Roundball Sage said:
Chicago baseball fans on both sides of town can ponder a question...

Is it better to be in contention up to the very end -- and then MISS OUT? Like the North Siders could.

OR,

Is it better to just have a completely awful year and fall out of contention in May and not even toy with the affections of your fans? Like the South Siders have had to put up with for yet another season of loss and misery.

Related Question: What, oh what... did Chicagoland baseball fans ever do to deserve seasons like THIS? Again? Is our Karma really that bad?

As a white sox fan who hates the cubs as a typical one, I’d 100% take your season. You have so many items to take forward and be positive about.

For me, first time I’ve really just felt indifferent now about the sox, knowing they are looking at a 3-5 year complete rebuild and Robert being the only one who might be there on the other side…and knowing until someone else owns the team it probably doesn’t matter anyway. The last one I was at least immediately excited by the farm system but this just feels like no real path forward.

bdutts · Sep 29, 2023

Roundball Sage said:
Chicago baseball fans on both sides of town can ponder a question...

Is it better to be in contention up to the very end -- and then MISS OUT? Like the North Siders could.

OR,

Is it better to just have a completely awful year and fall out of contention in May and not even toy with the affections of your fans? Like the South Siders have had to put up with for yet another season of loss and misery.

Related Question: What, oh what... did Chicagoland baseball fans ever do to deserve seasons like THIS? Again? Is our Karma really that bad?

I’d say the former but if it continues to happen a bunch of times in a row, that’s not good, either.

Mr. Tibbs · Sep 29, 2023

I guess I just want the Cubs to be really competitive every year / like the Astros & Braves

Roundball Sage · Sep 29, 2023

Illinicpa14 said:
As a white sox fan who hates the cubs as a typical one, I’d 100% take your season. You have so many items to take forward and be positive about.

For me, first time I’ve really just felt indifferent now about the sox, knowing they are looking at a 3-5 year complete rebuild and Robert being the only one who might be there on the other side…and knowing until someone else owns the team it probably doesn’t matter anyway. The last one I was at least immediately excited by the farm system but this just feels like no real path forward.

Truth in advertising... I am a long-standing Sox fan. But I watched with fascination how the seasons of the two clubs were developing as the year went on. North Siders were not contenders. Then they were. And now they're not (?).

South Siders were not contenders... then they still weren't... and have stayed that way to the bitter end. And all the hopes of the past few seasons about where this franchise was headed quickly evaporated in the course of one month -- April. Or maybe back when Abreu left.

Both sides of town deserve better from their teams. How are we ever going to get a City Series if both teams continue to miss getting to the World Series?

In the meantime, maybe they should start a 'Chicago City Series' every October if both teams miss the playoffs. They would play each other and the winning side gets Bulls and Blackhawks tickets and all the Deep Dish they can handle.

Illinicpa14 · Sep 29, 2023

Roundball Sage said:
Truth in advertising... I am a long-standing Sox fan. But I watched with fascination how the seasons of the two clubs were developing as the year went on. North Siders were not contenders. Then they were. And now they're not (?).

South Siders were not contenders... then they still weren't... and have stayed that way to the bitter end. And all the hopes of the past few seasons about where this franchise was headed quickly evaporated in the course of one month -- April. Or maybe back when Abreu left.

Both sides of town deserve better from their teams. How are we ever going to get a City Series if both teams continue to miss getting to the World Series?

In the meantime, maybe they should start a 'Chicago City Series' every October if both teams miss the playoffs. They would play each other and the winning side gets Bulls and Blackhawks tickets and all the Deep Dish they can handle.

The winning starting pitcher gets to start for the bears the following week…

illiniguy · Sep 29, 2023

Roundball Sage said:

In the meantime, maybe they should start a 'Chicago City Series' every October if both teams miss the playoffs. They would play each other and the winning side gets Bulls and Blackhawks tickets and all the Deep Dish they can handle.

And the losing side gets Bears tickets.

hiberto · Sep 29, 2023

Roundball Sage said:
Chicago baseball fans on both sides of town can ponder a question...

Is it better to be in contention up to the very end -- and then MISS OUT? Like the North Siders could.

OR,

Is it better to just have a completely awful year and fall out of contention in May and not even toy with the affections of your fans? Like the South Siders have had to put up with for yet another season of loss and misery.

Related Question: What, oh what... did Chicagoland baseball fans ever do to deserve seasons like THIS? Again? Is our Karma really that bad?

IMO, better to exceed expectations and barely miss playoffs than be expected to be serious playoff contenders going into the season like the sox and be completely uncompetitive. one means a few more pieces are needed, the other means a rebuild is needed

Emerson Bigguns · Sep 29, 2023

As much as the last 10 days have hurt, I enjoyed being a Cub fan for most of the season. It’s better than where we’ve been the last few years, but watching the game tonight feels like going to a funeral. This part is not fun. Thank god for 2016, or I’d be eyeballs deep in a barrel of scotch.
A couple fingers will do tonight. Good try boys. Wait until next year…

Warren Carter Fanclub · Sep 29, 2023

Looking on the bright side...If they made the playoffs, maybe they would have been complacent about moves going into next year.
Hopefully, they will realize that they have a lot of work to do and spend their boatloads of money doing it along with help from the minors.

champaignchris · Sep 29, 2023

Trying to have a little perspective here. Over the last 10 seasons…

2014 - A bad team started playing better and better as the kids got called up. Was above .500 in Aug and Sep.
2015 - 97 wins, WC, NLCS
2016 - 103 wins, division, World Champs
2017 - 92 wins, division, NLCS
2018 - 95 wins, tied for best record in NL, WC
2019 - 84 wins, in a playoff spot into mid-September
2020 - division champs in shortened COVID year.
2021 - 11 games above .500 in June before collapsing and selling off
2022 - real bad start, another sell off, but above .500 during the second half
2023 - winning season, in a playoff spot into late-September.

So they had a bad calendar year from July 2021 to July 2022, but have otherwise been competitive or better for almost a decade since the end of 2014. We all obviously want better year end results than we’ve had since 2018, but unless you’re in your 90s, this is the best decade of Cubs baseball you’ve ever seen.

Emerson Bigguns · Sep 29, 2023

champaignchris said:
Trying to have a little perspective here. Over the last 10 seasons…

2014 - A bad team started playing better and better as the kids got called up. Was above .500 in Aug and Sep.
2015 - 97 wins, WC, NLCS
2016 - 103 wins, division, World Champs
2017 - 92 wins, division, NLCS
2018 - 95 wins, tied for best record in NL, WC
2019 - 84 wins, in a playoff spot into mid-September
2020 - division champs in shortened COVID year.
2021 - 11 games above .500 in June before collapsing and selling off
2022 - real bad start, another sell off, but above .500 during the second half
2023 - winning season, in a playoff spot into late-September.

So they had a bad calendar year from July 2021 to July 2022, but have otherwise been competitive or better for almost a decade since the end of 2014. We all obviously want better year end results than we’ve had since 2018, but unless you’re in your 90s, this is the best decade of Cubs baseball you’ve ever seen.

And yet…

bdutts · Sep 29, 2023

champaignchris said:
Trying to have a little perspective here. Over the last 10 seasons…

2014 - A bad team started playing better and better as the kids got called up. Was above .500 in Aug and Sep.
2015 - 97 wins, WC, NLCS
2016 - 103 wins, division, World Champs
2017 - 92 wins, division, NLCS
2018 - 95 wins, tied for best record in NL, WC
2019 - 84 wins, in a playoff spot into mid-September
2020 - division champs in shortened COVID year.
2021 - 11 games above .500 in June before collapsing and selling off
2022 - real bad start, another sell off, but above .500 during the second half
2023 - winning season, in a playoff spot into late-September.

So they had a bad calendar year from July 2021 to July 2022, but have otherwise been competitive or better for almost a decade since the end of 2014. We all obviously want better year end results than we’ve had since 2018, but unless you’re in your 90s, this is the best decade of Cubs baseball you’ve ever seen.

Sure doesn’t feel like it. Kinda feels like the Bears in 85 and then beyond. What might have been…

Grandpa · Sep 29, 2023

champaignchris said:
2023 - winning season

82 wins is a "winning season" technically. Like saying that a guy who makes 51% of his free throws makes "the majority" of his free throws.

Defrost · Sep 30, 2023

Grandpa said:
82 wins is a "winning season" technically. Like saying that a guy who makes 51% of his free throws makes "the majority" of his free throws.

I think most projections had the cubs low to mid 70 wins. We did kind of poop the bed at the end of the season but I think it is a step in the right direction. Hope we add some pieces, keep bellinger and build on this for next season.

Warren Carter Fanclub · Sep 30, 2023

danielb927 · Sep 30, 2023

Grandpa said:
82 wins is a "winning season" technically. Like saying that a guy who makes 51% of his free throws makes "the majority" of his free throws.

Well yeah, except that 51% is a well below average FT% while 82 wins is exactly an average number of wins in a season...

Roundball Sage · Sep 30, 2023

hiberto said:
IMO, better to exceed expectations and barely miss playoffs than be expected to be serious playoff contenders going into the season like the sox and be completely uncompetitive. one means a few more pieces are needed, the other means a rebuild is needed

I think most fans would agree with you. Both of these outcomes hurt... it's just a matter of which kind of hurt you're going to have.

A competitive team at least provides a good deal of interest and excitement as the season goes along. All the 'hurt' comes at the end in a big pile.

For the bad team that looks bad all season... they provide little in the way of excitement. And the hurt is less intense and spread out all Summer long.

Chicago fans have been 'played' by team owners for generations. The owners know that Chicago area fans love their teams and their sports and will usually support them regardless of how good or bad the team performs. While the owners rake in the dough either way.

I wonder which fan base -- Sox, Cubs, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Wolves, Fire... thinks that they got the best bang for the buck over the years in fan enjoyment.

I think it's safe to say the Sox, Bears, and Fire can be quickly off that list.

IanKEvans2 · Sep 30, 2023

[ W ] #83

Maybe next year...

Grandpa · Sep 30, 2023

Warren Carter Fanclub · Oct 1, 2023

danielb927 said:
Well yeah, except that 51% is a well below average FT% while 82 wins is exactly an average number of wins in a season...

Actually 81 is but we have a whole off season to nitpick. It's not like Illini football is going to distract us.

Illinicpa14 · Oct 1, 2023

Roundball Sage said:
I think most fans would agree with you. Both of these outcomes hurt... it's just a matter of which kind of hurt you're going to have.

A competitive team at least provides a good deal of interest and excitement as the season goes along. All the 'hurt' comes at the end in a big pile.

For the bad team that looks bad all season... they provide little in the way of excitement. And the hurt is less intense and spread out all Summer long.

Chicago fans have been 'played' by team owners for generations. The owners know that Chicago area fans love their teams and their sports and will usually support them regardless of how good or bad the team performs. While the owners rake in the dough either way.

I wonder which fan base -- Sox, Cubs, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Wolves, Fire... thinks that they got the best bang for the buck over the years in fan enjoyment.

I think it's safe to say the Sox, Bears, and Fire can be quickly off that list.

The Wolves were practically a dynasty in the early 2000s between the IHL and AHL. Very fun games at affordable pricing while the hawks weren’t on TV. We went to so many of those playoff games.

suburbanILLINI · Oct 1, 2023

Mood the last three weeks

champaignchris · Oct 2, 2023

I’m still digesting this season. As much as it was a roller-coaster ride, they ended up about exactly where Hoyer was aiming for them to get. Spend conservatively and get within barking distance of the playoffs. I think I predicted 83 wins and that’s exactly where they landed. It’s both maddeningly frustrating and hopeful that we can all see the potential there to be better.

Going into next season, they seem set at LF, RF, 2B, SS, C and DH. There are some internal options at 1B, 3B and CF, but none you’d feel very good about relying on heading into the season. There are a few pretty nice options in free agency, Cody Bellinger first among them. Matt Chapman is a very good defensive third baseman who isn’t useless with the bat. Rhys Hopkins will be out there if you want some lumber at 1B or the Mets are rumored to be making Pete Alonso available in trade.

The starting pitching is in a weird spot. It was pretty good last year. There’s a good chance most everyone will be back. I’d bet at least one of Stroman and Hendricks are back, and there’s a good chance they’re both back. There are several good options for internal improvements, both in terms of young guys developing and old guys reverting to career norms. That said, I know we’d all feel a lot better if they could go out and get another stud starter. Assuming Kershaw re-ups with the Dodgers, Blake Snell is the only free agent that qualifies.

Bullpens are volatile and the Cubs got crushed by injuries there this year. Both relatively pricey free agents they brought in were either hurt or bad for the majority of the year. Ross absolutely rode Merryweather, Leiter and Alzolay until they couldn’t be rode no more because of lack of depth. Cuas, a guy I thought they acquired for AAA depth, ended up making the most appearances in MLB in August and September because there simply wasn’t anyone else. They need more depth next year. Ross needs to trust the younger guys sooner. And they need a little better luck with the injury bug. I think the good news is, they go into next season knowing Alzolay is their closer, that Leiter and Merryweather can handle the 7th/8th and that Smyly can be an effective lefty out of the pen. That’s a damn fine start.

bdutts · Oct 3, 2023

champaignchris said:
I’m still digesting this season. As much as it was a roller-coaster ride, they ended up about exactly where Hoyer was aiming for them to get. Spend conservatively and get within barking distance of the playoffs. I think I predicted 83 wins and that’s exactly where they landed. It’s both maddeningly frustrating and hopeful that we can all see the potential there to be better.

Going into next season, they seem set at LF, RF, 2B, SS, C and DH. There are some internal options at 1B, 3B and CF, but none you’d feel very good about relying on heading into the season. There are a few pretty nice options in free agency, Cody Bellinger first among them. Matt Chapman is a very good defensive third baseman who isn’t useless with the bat. Rhys Hopkins will be out there if you want some lumber at 1B or the Mets are rumored to be making Pete Alonso available in trade.

The starting pitching is in a weird spot. It was pretty good last year. There’s a good chance most everyone will be back. I’d bet at least one of Stroman and Hendricks are back, and there’s a good chance they’re both back. There are several good options for internal improvements, both in terms of young guys developing and old guys reverting to career norms. That said, I know we’d all feel a lot better if they could go out and get another stud starter. Assuming Kershaw re-ups with the Dodgers, Blake Snell is the only free agent that qualifies.

Bullpens are volatile and the Cubs got crushed by injuries there this year. Both relatively pricey free agents they brought in were either hurt or bad for the majority of the year. Ross absolutely rode Merryweather, Leiter and Alzolay until they couldn’t be rode no more because of lack of depth. Cuas, a guy I thought they acquired for AAA depth, ended up making the most appearances in MLB in August and September because there simply wasn’t anyone else. They need more depth next year. Ross needs to trust the younger guys sooner. And they need a little better luck with the injury bug. I think the good news is, they go into next season knowing Alzolay is their closer, that Leiter and Merryweather can handle the 7th/8th and that Smyly can be an effective lefty out of the pen. That’s a damn fine start.

I see the starting pitching as follows: Steele, Hicks, Taillon as locks. I'd like to see Assad get the 4th spot. Stroman probably will accept his option so he's the 5th. I am good with Hendricks leaving. I'm also good with Smyly leaving. The bullpen is a mess outside of the closer. No one really was consistent for whatever reason. I hated the Cuas trade at time and still do. Relief pitchers are finicky so it's a crapshoot.

The lineup is ok, not world beaters but should be good enough to get into the playoffs. Need to figure out the Bellinger situation.

champaignchris · Oct 3, 2023

Not yet 48 hours after the regular season ended and there’s already a ton of smoke around Pete Alonso to the Cubs.

It almost makes too much sense not to happen.

Cubs 2023 Season

Orange Krush Class of 2013