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Cubs 2016 Thread

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xdhsgrad2002x

HR MVP
Mar 22, 2006
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Stretching my legs feels good to be back in OT.

I am just going to go ahead and proactively start a Cubs 2016 thread, more than half the Cubs have already reported to Spring Training with lots and lots of Spring Training pictures hitting the web. Will save the mess of no longer having a Pro Sports Board and six million Cubs threads.

To kick it off, my predictions for 2016 Opening Day lineup

1. Ben Zobrist - 2B
2. Jason Heyward - CF
3. Kris Bryant - 3B
4. Anthony Rizzo - 1B
5. Jorge Soler - RF
6. Kyle Schwarber - DH
7. Miguel Montero - C
8. Addison Russell - SS
9. Chris Coghlan - LF

Also, I have been proactively lobbying on Twitter for the Cubs Spring Training motto to be "Suck It Cardinals"
 
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xdhsgrad2002x said:
Stretching my legs feels good to be back in OT.

I am just going to go ahead and proactively start a Cubs 2016 thread, more than half the Cubs have already reported to Spring Training with lots and lots of Spring Training pictures hitting the web. Will save the mess of no longer having a Pro Sports Board and six million Cubs threads.

To kick it off, my predictions for 2016 Opening Day lineup

1. Ben Zobrist - 2B
2. Jason Heyward - CF
3. Kris Bryant - 3B
4. Anthony Rizzo - 1B
5. Jorge Soler - RF
6. Kyle Schwarber - DH
7. Miguel Montero - C
8. Addison Russell - SS
9. Chris Coghlan - LF

Also, I have been proactively lobbying on Twitter for the Cubs Spring Training motto to be "Suck It Cardinals"
Click to expand...
Get Coglan out of there, put Schwarber in LF and Baez at DH. And yes, the Cards can suck it.
 
xdhsgrad2002x said:
Cubs open at the Angels
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It's like there is nothing sacred anymore. I think it's smart to open in a warm weather city, but inter league play is too much. The Cubs start in LA, then go to Arizona for a weekend set. I with all of baseball would start in the warm weather and domed stadium cities.
 
I am intrigued to see how the roster is finalized by the end of Spring Training. There is only minor room for tinkering with the bullpen and bench. Theo and Jed have plenty to trade with if there is a glaring need for a reliever, or if there is a rash of injuries to the starters. I am now convinced they will do nothing to upgrade CF. Heyward is certainly more comfortable in RF, but he's going to have to play a lot in CF with Soler on the roster. Baez appears to be a lock for the roster, but can he be effective enough in LF or CF as a defensive replacement?
 
lucas80 said:
I am intrigued to see how the roster is finalized by the end of Spring Training. There is only minor room for tinkering with the bullpen and bench. Theo and Jed have plenty to trade with if there is a glaring need for a reliever, or if there is a rash of injuries to the starters. I am now convinced they will do nothing to upgrade CF. Heyward is certainly more comfortable in RF, but he's going to have to play a lot in CF with Soler on the roster. Baez appears to be a lock for the roster, but can he be effective enough in LF or CF as a defensive replacement?
Click to expand...

Baez was taking fly balls in the outfield today. I think the major story lines are as follows:

Baez's role on the team.
Warren, Hammel and Hendricks competition for 4th and 5th starter positions.
Who's the second left hander in the pen? (Most likely Brothers or Riefenhauser)
Who are the other two right handers in the pen? (Cahill, Grimm or Ramirez)
 
I think Madden will figure out a way to get Baez 400 ABs this year as a super sub. Zobrist managed to do it every year and Baez can pretty much play anywhere if this OF experiment works. Think Warren is stretched out in spring but starts in the BP and likely the first one they call if there is an injury or Hammels or Hendricks struggle. pretty pumped for the year.
 
Brian_Fantana said:
I think Madden will figure out a way to get Baez 400 ABs this year as a super sub. Zobrist managed to do it every year and Baez can pretty much play anywhere if this OF experiment works. Think Warren is stretched out in spring but starts in the BP and likely the first one they call if there is an injury or Hammels or Hendricks struggle. pretty pumped for the year.
Click to expand...

I think there will be a legitimate three way race for the fourth and fifth starter spots. If Warren pitches like he started last year they could trade Hammel for a prospect before the trade deadline. Which is a win considering his contract expires at the end of the year.
 
xdhsgrad2002x said:
I think there will be a legitimate three way race for the fourth and fifth starter spots. If Warren pitches like he started last year they could trade Hammel for a prospect before the trade deadline. Which is a win considering his contract expires at the end of the year.
Click to expand...

With how gassed our pitching staff was during the Mets series, I could def see Warren getting 10-15 spot starts just to keep everyone healthy.

Also the Cubs were pretty lucky in terms of SP health last year. Always need the depth- I doubt they trade Hammel.
 
Brian_Fantana said:
I think Madden will figure out a way to get Baez 400 ABs this year as a super sub. Zobrist managed to do it every year and Baez can pretty much play anywhere if this OF experiment works. Think Warren is stretched out in spring but starts in the BP and likely the first one they call if there is an injury or Hammels or Hendricks struggle. pretty pumped for the year.
Click to expand...
Theo and Jed have built an extremely flexible roster for Joe. When you include Wood and Richard you have multiple guys who can start if needed. They have multiple position players who bring more than one glove to the ballpark. I know Zobrist has been promised second, but he will move around as needed. Kris Bryant is entrenched at third, but it's nice that he can provide much needed days off for Rizzo, especially on days where a really tough lefty may be starting for the other team.
 
lucas80 said:
Theo and Jed have built an extremely flexible roster for Joe. When you include Wood and Richard you have multiple guys who can start if needed. They have multiple position players who bring more than one glove to the ballpark. I know Zobrist has been promised second, but he will move around as needed. Kris Bryant is entrenched at third, but it's nice that he can provide much needed days off for Rizzo, especially on days where a really tough lefty may be starting for the other team.
Click to expand...
Did Rizzo hit better against lefties last year than against righties?
 
SWIowahawks said:
Did Rizzo hit better against lefties last year than against righties?
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He vastly changed his approach against lefties last season, and it paid off. It also lead him to being hit by a bunch more pitches as he crowded the plate. Generic lefties he was much better against. Elite lefties he struggles like almost every left handed hitter. It will be nice to be able to put Bryant or Zobrist over there for a day game after a night game, or against an elite lefty.
 
IACub said:
I don't know, I friggin' love him as a setup guy.
Click to expand...

It will be interesting to see if the Cubs get the Cahill they got last year, or the Cahill that has been a marginal MLB pitcher his entire career.

I think it's one of the smaller story lines.
 
Bleacher Nation had a story up today about Tommy LaStella. Does he make the roster? I would prefer the Cubs do not go with the 13 man pitching staff, but that seems to be pre-ordained. Would you look for a defensive minded outfielder, or keep LaStella? Does Matt Sczcur do it for you, or look for a MLB vet still on the unemployed line like Austin Jackson for a reunion tour? They won't need the infield depth as much with the need to replace Schwarber in late innings in my opinion.
There are some who think Neil Ramirez won't make the roster. He does actually have an option left I think and he's been on the DL a lot.
 
lucas80 said:
Bleacher Nation had a story up today about Tommy LaStella. Does he make the roster? I would prefer the Cubs do not go with the 13 man pitching staff, but that seems to be pre-ordained. Would you look for a defensive minded outfielder, or keep LaStella? Does Matt Sczcur do it for you, or look for a MLB vet still on the unemployed line like Austin Jackson for a reunion tour? They won't need the infield depth as much with the need to replace Schwarber in late innings in my opinion.
There are some who think Neil Ramirez won't make the roster. He does actually have an option left I think and he's been on the DL a lot.
Click to expand...

Early Roster Backup Predictions:

C - David Ross
IF - Javier Baez
OF - Chris Coghlan (Can also play some IF)
OF - Matt Szczur

If we go 12 pitchers then I can see Tommy La Stella making the team and some of the other young prospects getting optioned. That's honestly what I would prefer, but Cubs have major issues with the Cahill, Grimm and Ramirez situation.
 
CuttyDoesIt said:
Dont forget about Alcantara
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Not enough contact, but he is still young and has a lot of pop in his bat. He is fast and a versatile fielder, so he should start in Des Moines and increase his value as a trading chip.
 
In another effort to expand their bullpen options, the Cubs signed reliever Aaron Crow to a minor league contract.

Crow, 29, missed all of 2015 because of Tommy John surgery and might not be ready until mid-season. But Crow posted a 3.43 ERA in 254 relief appearances with the Kansas City Royals from 2011 to 2014.

Crow, a first round pick of the Royals in 2009, was traded to the Miami Marlins after the 2014 season but was diagnosed with a ligament tear before opening day.

In other Cubs news, President Theo Epstein was optimistic that an extension with owner Tom Ricketts would crystallize.

"We agree on the fundamentals," said Epstein, who is in the final year of a five-year, $18 million contract. "I want to be here, and I think he wants us here. It will take care of itself."

Manager Joe Maddon confirmed that some starting pitchers would make their spring training debuts later than normal to preserve their arms for the regular season after a lengthy postseason.

Maddon added that his lineups would remain ''fluid" during spring training, with Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward receiving time at the leadoff spot.

The contract of left-handed pitcher Luis Cruz was voided.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-sign-aaron-crow-20160219-story.html
 
xdhsgrad2002x said:
Are you made because...

1. We beat you in the playoffs last year?
2. Two of your best players didn't want to play for your team and instead chose to play for the Cubs?
3. You will lose the division and in the playoffs to the Cubs?
Click to expand...
You really think he's mad that the Cards have won 11 world series since the last Cubbies title?
 
ClarindaA's said:
I'd be interested in them kicking the tires on Cliff Lee
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He didn't pitch in 2015 and he's made a whole lot of money. I don't know if he'll take the kind of deal the Cubs would offer. Crow is different, he's younger and probably more desire to come back from injury. I have not heard Lee's name very much this offseason, so I wonder if he's even ready to try a comeback and may be waiting to look for a landing spot in mid-season, or he may even decide to retire.
Lots of injuries the last few years.
 
xdhsgrad2002x said:
Stretching my legs feels good to be back in OT.

I am just going to go ahead and proactively start a Cubs 2016 thread, more than half the Cubs have already reported to Spring Training with lots and lots of Spring Training pictures hitting the web. Will save the mess of no longer having a Pro Sports Board and six million Cubs threads.

To kick it off, my predictions for 2016 Opening Day lineup

1. Ben Zobrist - 2B
2. Jason Heyward - CF
3. Kris Bryant - 3B
4. Anthony Rizzo - 1B
5. Jorge Soler - RF
6. Kyle Schwarber - DH
7. Miguel Montero - C
8. Addison Russell - SS
9. Chris Coghlan - LF

Also, I have been proactively lobbying on Twitter for the Cubs Spring Training motto to be "Suck It Cardinals"
Click to expand...

As an A's fan, every time I see that Addison Russell is now on the Cubs, it makes me weep like a little school girl. I love Billy Beane, and I understand why he did it, but goddamn...that trade hurt.
 
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