*****Official Cubs 2019 thread*****
- Thread starter QChawks
- Start date
I think it has more to do with Joe not knowing how to manage a rotation or a pen. He nearly cost the Cubs the WS but they were too good that year to allow him to do it.
Yeah he has so many great bullpen options available to him right now....just like in 2016
Perhaps Joe should reconsider pulling a starter who is dealing at 92 pitches when they have an off day on Monday so Yu gets an extra day of rest. Or instead he could yank him and rely on a bullpen with a history of choking leads away and on top of that he could bring in Strop who pisses down his leg nearly every time he gets in the game.
Cubs = train wreck. I'm done watching MLB this year and moving onto football. Now also have to learn how to bet against the Cubs at the casino.
So, watched the end of the Cards game, lost 2-1. Knew Cubs had tonight sewn up, but had a browser at mlb.com's Gameday of the Cubs game pulled up on PC still. Then went back into living room to watch some of the Outback Bowl replay on ESPNU.
Came back into computer room to turn off PC, etc just now. Forgot I had Gameday of Cubs game pulled up.
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh. That game was OVER.
Came back into computer room to turn off PC, etc just now. Forgot I had Gameday of Cubs game pulled up.
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh. That game was OVER.
I feel bad for Darvish. He's (deservedly) taken a lot of sh1t, but he's deserved much better the last 6 weeks. The bullpen absolutely set all of his work on fire tonight.
Glad I didn't pick today to start betting on sports. It would have been a no-brainer.
Meh, just curious. Why is tonight Maddon's fault?
Reason I ask - aren't his best 3 relievers on the DL right now? Cishek, Kimbrell, Kintzler? And Strop probably should be too?
I read the wrap, and it sounds like an error started the mess, then Happ didn't get to a couple grounders in the inning...sounds like some batted ball voodoo at play in that inning combined with ol' Abner Doubleday striking again with Harper.
Reason I ask - aren't his best 3 relievers on the DL right now? Cishek, Kimbrell, Kintzler? And Strop probably should be too?
I read the wrap, and it sounds like an error started the mess, then Happ didn't get to a couple grounders in the inning...sounds like some batted ball voodoo at play in that inning combined with ol' Abner Doubleday striking again with Harper.
Any time the bullpen allows runs it’s Joes fault for either pulling the starter too early or using the wrong pitcher, when the starter struggles it’s Joe’s fault for not pulling him soon enough.
No, but everyone will realize he's using Maddon as the scapegoat. Outside of Castellanos, most of the recent roster changes have been total shit. And he's the one who gutted the farm system or failed to develop it.
BTW: Theo's biggest blunder was a "non move". Schwarber should have been moved when he had some value.
Cubs bullpen sucks!
They are awful. They are spineless, mental midgets.
They just don’t give a fvck how bad they are.
I’m beginning to wonder if they’re on the take, blowing games on purpose.
They owe the rest of team apologies for their terrible performances.
They are awful. They are spineless, mental midgets.
They just don’t give a fvck how bad they are.
I’m beginning to wonder if they’re on the take, blowing games on purpose.
They owe the rest of team apologies for their terrible performances.
On the bright side, Darvish has pitched really well the last few weeks.
Has McLeod found anybody after the first round who has materialized? It looks like Nico Hoerner could be a good player, but you could argue that McLeod has only had success when drafting in the top half of the first round after tanking seasons.
Even then, it’s not like they’ve aced those picks either. They aced Bryant in 2013, but Almora is a AAAA player, and they could have drafted better players than Happ in 2015.
We also haven’t mentioned the fact that they would have had equal success in drafting pitchers since 2012 had they randomly picked names from a list. It’s been that terrible.
I believe that the Cubs greatest problems are in the executive suite. Baseball is an ever-changing and evolving business and despite Theo’s 3 titles, he is getting it handed to him right now.
Here’s the scary news though- they will likely be worse next year. Folks here will mention some payroll coming free, but aside from Gerritt Cole and Anthony Rendon, the FA market will be light.
The flurry of team-friendly pre-arb extensions last winter will greatly limit the options. Plus, we all know that the farm system is one of the worst in baseball.
Theo will be forced out of Chicago like he was in Boston...and the Cubs franchise will be fine going forward. Ownership is the key, and the Ricketts are outstanding
It's the relief pitchers' fault the team loses so many games they should win. They are brought in and paid a lot of money to do a job, and they continually fail. They're a bunch of spineless idiots just out there collecting large paychecks.
Unacceptable.
Unacceptable.
It's probably Hendricks fault! Hanging around him is rubbing off on the rest of this damn team.
So, I've read a couple blogs this morning about last night. And...wow. Of course, emotion and anger is driving the angst. But when some of the facts became apparent that the Cubs are currently dealing with, the 1st thing that came to mind is "sounds familiar".
There's a whole lot of "Perfect Storm" going on with last night's result. There's also an old say that "the ball tends to find the weak spots in a defense". Welp, it apparently did. And Roster Construction Hell obviously is the main cause.
Didn't know that Baez was out (didn't know what the initial error consisted of). The fact that Bode was at SS...I would have to believe normally that would be the province of Russell if Baez is out, but he's in Des Moines currently "being taught another lesson". Then, because no Descalso and no Zobrist and no Garcia - he has that new guy from Houston or Happ for 2B. Neither are necessarily good defensively. Adequate, not optimal.
The ball found the wrong guys at the wrong time - and because your best relievers are on the IL you had no strikeout pen options to mitigate the defensive issues.
I can tell you, I can relate to this type of conundrum. The Cubs' lone win in StLa couple weeks ago, maybe you'll remember during the 2-0 Hendricks gem where late there was pop up down the LF line that Yairo Munoz butchered, which led to the 2nd run. Didn't cost them the game cause StL didn't score, but it was a lightning rod for fan frustration.
Shildt has the last couple months been playing career long infielders in OF spots - borne out of roster construction issues created via injuries and hitting ineffectiveness, but also with some field manager "curiosities" occurring.
Munoz got a month long run in all 3 OF spots, and Edman now appears to be the semi-regular RF here in August. The natives are livid about it, the lineup decisions effectively putting out the worst OF defensive configuration possible given the roster. Fowler is getting a run in center (where he's past his prime but most comfortable), yet we have 3 different kids who have shown they're good to great defensive CF's who are either in AAA (can't hit ANY ML pitcher currently) or saddled with bench duty. Those 2 have shown offensive skills - but simply are not trusted with regular duty by the field manager at this time.
Meanwhile, we all see Tommy Pham in Tampa and Oscar Mercado in Cleveland playing good CF...guys we traded for what amounts to nothing currently contributing.
So, here we are, and in particular the internet saber community fans are simply apoplectic over the sum total of all the decisions in recent years that got StL to their current situation(s). They feel the upper management has lost the saber edge they had in the early 'teens, while saddled with a manager that doesn't seem to understand the value in "the numbers" and tends to manage old school.
Sound familiar?
So, I guess my point is in a roundabout way, all I'm saying is you aren't the only NLC fan base facing this type of stuff. It's interesting how in a lot of way these two clubs this year are mirror images of each other. Their fan bases accordingly are reacting very similarly.
There's a whole lot of "Perfect Storm" going on with last night's result. There's also an old say that "the ball tends to find the weak spots in a defense". Welp, it apparently did. And Roster Construction Hell obviously is the main cause.
Didn't know that Baez was out (didn't know what the initial error consisted of). The fact that Bode was at SS...I would have to believe normally that would be the province of Russell if Baez is out, but he's in Des Moines currently "being taught another lesson". Then, because no Descalso and no Zobrist and no Garcia - he has that new guy from Houston or Happ for 2B. Neither are necessarily good defensively. Adequate, not optimal.
The ball found the wrong guys at the wrong time - and because your best relievers are on the IL you had no strikeout pen options to mitigate the defensive issues.
I can tell you, I can relate to this type of conundrum. The Cubs' lone win in StLa couple weeks ago, maybe you'll remember during the 2-0 Hendricks gem where late there was pop up down the LF line that Yairo Munoz butchered, which led to the 2nd run. Didn't cost them the game cause StL didn't score, but it was a lightning rod for fan frustration.
Shildt has the last couple months been playing career long infielders in OF spots - borne out of roster construction issues created via injuries and hitting ineffectiveness, but also with some field manager "curiosities" occurring.
Munoz got a month long run in all 3 OF spots, and Edman now appears to be the semi-regular RF here in August. The natives are livid about it, the lineup decisions effectively putting out the worst OF defensive configuration possible given the roster. Fowler is getting a run in center (where he's past his prime but most comfortable), yet we have 3 different kids who have shown they're good to great defensive CF's who are either in AAA (can't hit ANY ML pitcher currently) or saddled with bench duty. Those 2 have shown offensive skills - but simply are not trusted with regular duty by the field manager at this time.
Meanwhile, we all see Tommy Pham in Tampa and Oscar Mercado in Cleveland playing good CF...guys we traded for what amounts to nothing currently contributing.
So, here we are, and in particular the internet saber community fans are simply apoplectic over the sum total of all the decisions in recent years that got StL to their current situation(s). They feel the upper management has lost the saber edge they had in the early 'teens, while saddled with a manager that doesn't seem to understand the value in "the numbers" and tends to manage old school.
Sound familiar?
So, I guess my point is in a roundabout way, all I'm saying is you aren't the only NLC fan base facing this type of stuff. It's interesting how in a lot of way these two clubs this year are mirror images of each other. Their fan bases accordingly are reacting very similarly.
Can we all agree that the chances of David Ross being the manager next year are rising fast.
I feel like the next Cubs manager might have a real short run. Joe is going to be a tough act to follow, expectations have been greatly raised and it's hard to see a good path for the Cubs getting back to the level of the Dodgers. Whoever the next manager is will most likely be someone who is fine with just running out the lineup that Theo and Jed give him each day.
Next year, after Theo has scapegoated everybody he possibly can (except for his errand boys Hoyer and McLeod), everybody will see that Theo has an incredible resume, but has been a horrific baseball executive for the last couple of years. Baseball is constantly changing based upon available data, market conditions, etc., and the Cubs have fallen behind.
I thought this Cubs group could be like the 1990's Braves or 2000's Cardinals, or the current Astros. They may win the division due to its ineptitude, but their World Series contention window is closed.
The way pitchers attack batters has changed and the cubs have failed to adjust in what they look for in hitters, or so I’m told.
No we swept them at Wrigley right after the AS break. They just got 2 of those 6 against the Angels I believe.
Whatever they are doing to scout and develop pitchers is just not working too. Alex Lange was seen as a potential fast track MLB guy before the draft, and instead was struggling in A Ball when the Cubs traded him. They've spent a lot of their high picks on pitching the last few years with absolutely nothing to show for it.
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