MLB: ***Official 2019 Chicago Cubs Season Thread***

[SEIOWA CLONE]

Oh damn. Didn’t see that last zinger coming from a Cardinal fan. Super original. Damn.

Just stating the truth, 3 years ago Cubs fans we talking about how many World Series they were going to be winning with this group, and how they would be dominating the Central Division for the foreseeable future. Now you are letting your manger walk, after he actually won your first world series in over 100 years.

Defend that all you want, but its silly, enjoy going back to the Lovable losing Cubs, and waiting for next year.

 

[ISUCubswin]

Just stating the truth, 3 years ago Cubs fans we talking about how many World Series they were going to be winning with this group, and how they would be dominating the Central Division for the foreseeable future. Now you are letting your manger walk, after he actually won your first world series in over 100 years.

Defend that all you want, but its silly, enjoy going back to the Lovable losing Cubs, and waiting for next year.

Well it only took you two tries but you actually did come up with some intellectual argument. However, I urge you to go back and see none of the Cubs fans on here were kicking the Cardinals crew over the last three children Kim Kardashian has managed to conceive with Kanye West (allegedly) since they were last in the playoffs.

Thank you for your valuable input - as I said before, I don’t think the Cubs organization has any interest in your opinion of what’s best for the organization.

 

[throwittoblythe]

I think Maddon will be treated by Cubs fans the same with Pujols was treated by Cards fans; though it won't take Cubs fans 10 years to see him again like the Cards with Pujols. It will take some time, maybe a year or two, for the pain/disappointment to subside. When the timing is right, Joe will return to Wrigley and throw out the first pitch on opening day and will be greeted with a standing ovation and a heroes welcome.

 

[Walden4Prez]

I love Joe and will always love Joe. He was what this team needed in 2016. I don't know what this team needs now, but it isn't Joe.

Many people forget that the Cubs won the WS despite some managerial moves that truly could have/should have lost it for us.

 

[CyJack13]

I love Joe and will always love Joe. He was what this team needed in 2016. I don't know what this team needs now, but it isn't Joe.

Many people forget that the Cubs won the WS despite some managerial moves that truly could have/should have lost it for us.

I look forward to this new manager who will undoubtedly ensure the Cubs have the best bullpen in baseball regardless of who's in it based solely on his perfectly timed moves.

 

[Clonefan32]

I think Brett Taylor said it best-- we've basically known Joe was gone for the last few months, but seeing it final and in writting is still jarring. I'm not sure what Joe could have done the last two years with our bullpen troubles and inconsistency at the plate. But as Joe and Theo articulated the other day, sometimes it's just time for a different voice. Not anyone's "fault". Just time to try something different.

So thanks for everything Joe, and I really hope this winds up being a good move. A small part of me still thinks he is the fall guy for issues that were out of his control.

 

[CyJack13]

I think Brett Taylor said it best-- we've basically known Joe was gone for the last few months, but seeing it final and in writting is still jarring. I'm not sure what Joe could have done the last two years with our bullpen troubles and inconsistency at the plate. But as Joe and Theo articulated the other day, sometimes it's just time for a different voice. Not anyone's "fault". Just time to try something different.

So thanks for everything Joe, and I really hope this winds up being a good move. A small part of me still thinks he is the fall guy for issues that were out of his control.

And the Cubs bullpen was second in all of baseball in ERA last year, with a makeshift pen with no closer for almost the entire second half and Jesse Chavez being the go to guy. I don't think Joe gets nearly enough credit for that, instead most people act like the next guy will magically solve any bullpen woes.

 

[CyPunch]

All the old clips they are playing from past WGN broadcasts tonight is just sad to watch the end to an era of watching Cubs games on WGN when I was younger.

Also how about Almora robbing Molina of a HR tonight? He is so damn good in CF with his glove that I wish his bat would be adequate enough to make it harder to keep him out of the lineup.

Almora was bad in CF this year. -5 defensive runs saved ranks 24th of 33 center fielders who played more than 500 innings this year. Not really sure what's next for him as he has been one of the worst players in major league baseball since the 2018 All-Star break.

 

[ISUCubswin]

I look forward to this new manager who will undoubtedly ensure the Cubs have the best bullpen in baseball regardless of who's in it based solely on his perfectly timed moves.

I think you missed the point of Waldens post.

Maddons bullpen management has always been one of his biggest weaknesses.

The Cubs had 28 blown saves in 2019 and only converted 57% of saves successfully.

And I realize Joe shouldn’t be blamed for all of that.

But I also don’t think Theo should be blamed for all that.

We hoped Morrow would be useable. Strop hasn’t ever been this bad. Kimbrel wasn’t as good as anyone hoped. Maddon hinted towards Edwards being our future closer in 2015, 16, and 17. All four options sucked

 

[CyJack13]

I think you missed the point of Waldens post.

Maddons bullpen management has always been one of his biggest weaknesses.

The Cubs had 28 blown saves in 2019 and only converted 57% of saves successfully.

And I realize Joe shouldn’t be blamed for all of that.

But I also don’t think Theo should be blamed for all that.

We hoped Morrow would be useable. Strop hasn’t ever been this bad. Kimbrel wasn’t as good as anyone hoped. Maddon hinted towards Edwards being our future closer in 2015, 16, and 17. All four options sucked

But it really hasn't been. Again the Cubs have finished in the top ten in bullpen ERA (8th - 2015, 8th, 6th, 2nd) every year he's been manager before this year. They were 2nd last year with a piecemeal bullpen. He hasn't done this with a Yankee like collection of big time arms either.

 

[CYdTracked]

But it really hasn't been. Again the Cubs have finished in the top ten in bullpen ERA (8th - 2015, 8th, 6th, 2nd) every year he's been manager before this year. They were 2nd last year with a piecemeal bullpen. He hasn't done this with a Yankee like collection of big time arms either.

Forget the ERA stats, Cubs bullpen WAR for 2019 was 1.3 which put them at 20th in all of baseball. They didn't get outs or hold leads when it mattered and you could probably pick apart some of the metrics from past seasons too.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.a...nd=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0

It's the same story with the offense, they were not clutch when it matters the most. They finished with a +97 run differential and it was somewhere over 100 for a good chunk of the season until they stunk it up late in the season. Look at their team stats in the NL:

OBP: 4th at .331
Average: 7th at .252
HR: 2nd at 256
Runs scored: 5th at 814

See what I am getting at, you can't just pick and choose stats and go "see on paper they weren't that bad!" You have to look at the overall work of the team and on paper this team looks good statistically in some categories but in reality both the offense and pitching didn't get the job done when it matters the most in the game otherwise they'd be preparing to play October baseball right now.

 

[tman24]

Almora was bad in CF this year. -5 defensive runs saved ranks 24th of 33 center fielders who played more than 500 innings this year. Not really sure what's next for him as he has been one of the worst players in major league baseball since the 2018 All-Star break.

I think that foul ball that hit the little girl early in the season really messed him up mentally.

 

[cyfanatic13]

I think that foul ball that hit the little girl early in the season really messed him up mentally.

I just think he's not a very good baseball player

 

[CyJack13]

Forget the ERA stats, Cubs bullpen WAR for 2019 was 1.3 which put them at 20th in all of baseball. They didn't get outs or hold leads when it mattered and you could probably pick apart some of the metrics from past seasons too.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.a...nd=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0

It's the same story with the offense, they were not clutch when it matters the most. They finished with a +97 run differential and it was somewhere over 100 for a good chunk of the season until they stunk it up late in the season. Look at their team stats in the NL:

OBP: 4th at .331
Average: 7th at .252
HR: 2nd at 256
Runs scored: 5th at 814

See what I am getting at, you can't just pick and choose stats and go "see on paper they weren't that bad!" You have to look at the overall work of the team and on paper this team looks good statistically in some categories but in reality both the offense and pitching didn't get the job done when it matters the most in the game otherwise they'd be preparing to play October baseball right now.

The bullpen wasn't good in 2019, nowhere did I make that argument. But when you go into the year without a closer, your best set up guy loses a lot of velocity, your second best set up guys loses his confidence and your offseason signing is terrible, I don't know why anyone would expect it to be. Do you think another manager would have done much better with the pitchers the Cubs had available this year?

 

[Cyched]

Oh damn. Didn’t see that last zinger coming from a Cardinal fan. Super original. Damn.

It’s days like today I’m thankful that CVS sells ointment for various burns like that one.

 

[CycloneErik]

I think you missed the point of Waldens post.

Maddons bullpen management has always been one of his biggest weaknesses.

The Cubs had 28 blown saves in 2019 and only converted 57% of saves successfully.

And I realize Joe shouldn’t be blamed for all of that.

But I also don’t think Theo should be blamed for all that.

We hoped Morrow would be useable. Strop hasn’t ever been this bad. Kimbrel wasn’t as good as anyone hoped. Maddon hinted towards Edwards being our future closer in 2015, 16, and 17. All four options sucked

That's not a Maddon issue. That's a Theo/Ricketts issue.
Even Theo's little idea that starting late hurt Kimbrel is fully a front office issue with the way they play games on salaries and what not. That's much more of an issue than anything from Maddon.

And cue somebody to complain about the World Series, even the well-reasoned and explained decisions, because Cub fans somehow have a way to complain about winning that.

 

[cyfanatic13]

Here's my opinion that I'm sure no one gives a **** about. I'm gonna miss Joe a lot but I think it's time for him to go as I believe he personally maxed out his potential with his group. Can someone get more? I think/hope so but there just wasn't a whole lot of development the past year or two. I loved listening to him talk baseball on the pregame chats with Coom and his postgames.

Also, ******** about his decisions in the World Series is hilarious. He's forgotten more baseball than any of us will ever know. And it was pretty well documented Cubs weren't resigning Chapman so I was cool with getting everything we possibly could out of him.

 

[ISUCubswin]

That's not a Maddon issue. That's a Theo/Ricketts issue.
Even Theo's little idea that starting late hurt Kimbrel is fully a front office issue with the way they play games on salaries and what not. That's much more of an issue than anything from Maddon.

And cue somebody to complain about the World Series, even the well-reasoned and explained decisions, because Cub fans somehow have a way to complain about winning that.

I completely agree - the front office determines the make up of the team.

Love the hell out of Maddon but it isn’t like he had zero flaws. His bullpen management has always been a question mark.

Carl Edwards, who Maddon loved, had a 14.73 ERA in save situations this year.

Pedro Strop, who was clearly not healthy, was continuously put in situations in August and September in which he was blowing saves

He consistently put Holland in against righties despite every analyst saying Holland should only face lefties

He said Rowan Wick would be getting more save opportunities in August. Wick ended with 2 save opportunities. (Converting on both) TOTAL

 

[ISUCubswin]

If Maddon was without any flaws, we would be in the playoffs right now. He is a hell of a manager, and probably the best manager in the history of the game at working with up and coming talent. He is not the right manager for this team, and that’s ok. Someone had to go, change had to happen.

 

[CYdTracked]

If Maddon was without any flaws, we would be in the playoffs right now. He is a hell of a manager, and probably the best manager in the history of the game at working with up and coming talent. He is not the right manager for this team, and that’s ok. Someone had to go, change had to happen.

This is my feeling too, he's a great manager but probably not the right manager for the current situation this team is in. At some point a new voice is needed when things get stagnant and the Cubs have hit that point. This roster is not a mess but with the right moves this offseason and a fresh perspective from the manager's position they can't get back to winning the division and making a run in October.