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

CYdTracked

CYdTracked

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This team has been shutout a ridiculous amount of times this year it seems like... I counted 7 games going through the schedule and just 1 run in 11 losses. Saw a lot of 2 runs scored in quite a few losses while I was counting those out. This offense is so feast or famine, if they aren't cranking out home runs they struggle to score in other ways.

Cards are just 5-5 in their past 10 games yet the Cubs still couldn't take advantage and are 4-6 while the Brewers have made up ground going 8-2 winning 6 straight. Not sure this team has what it takes to finish strong and make the playoffs on a hot streak. So frustrating because talent wise they shouldn't be in this situation but it just seems like they have checked out of the season here this month.
 
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HoustonClone

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CyJack13 said:
Can we get another round of voting on who thinks this is a top 5 team? Guessing we’ll have a few more on my side now.
Click to expand...

Sorry. It’s precisely because I think this is a top five team that I’m so disgusted by what’s happening.
 
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Skyh13

Skyh13

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CYdTracked said:
This team has been shutout a ridiculous amount of times this year it seems like... I counted 7 games going through the schedule and just 1 run in 11 losses. Saw a lot of 2 runs scored in quite a few losses while I was counting those out. This offense is so feast or famine, if they aren't cranking out home runs they struggle to score in other ways.

Cards are just 5-5 in their past 10 games yet the Cubs still couldn't take advantage and are 4-6 while the Brewers have made up ground going 8-2 winning 6 straight. Not sure this team has what it takes to finish strong and make the playoffs on a hot streak. So frustrating because talent wise they shouldn't be in this situation but it just seems like they have checked out of the season here this month.
Click to expand...

It was the exact same way last year. Hot streaks seemingly don't exist with this team, they are just too, too inconsistent. They'll score big one game and then do absolutely nothing the next two. Even in-game, this team has given up runs the very next half inning after scoring themselves so many times I just expect it now. I'd love to know the numbers, what percentage of half-innings after scoring they give up runs and how it compares to league average, because the number has to be terrible.

The injury bug has definitely bitten, but I'm not sure how different it would be otherwise, even if you had Contreras, Baez, and Russel playing every day and a healthy Bryant (which may not be the case anymore, given the past couple of seasons of issues).

I dunno what you do with this team. I mean, how long ago would they have been completely done for the season had they not acquired Castellanos? He's been a **** hero, and they're still slowly falling out of it.

I think this team is very, very close to needing to be blown up, which is really disappointing given how great 2016 was. 70% of their bats are completely unreliable from one game to the next, Lester and Hamels are just a step away from being done (which is not at all surprising given their ages), and Quintana is a back of the rotation starter. You still don't really have a closer, Kimbrel has been fine, not great, but also old and hurt, and the bullpen is really unreliable as well (although some of the terrible has already been cast off).
 
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Walden4Prez

Walden4Prez

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Skyh13 said:
It was the exact same way last year. Hot streaks seemingly don't exist with this team, they are just too, too inconsistent. They'll score big one game and then do absolutely nothing the next two. Even in-game, this team has given up runs the very next half inning after scoring themselves so many times I just expect it now. I'd love to know the numbers, what percentage of half-innings after scoring they give up runs and how it compares to league average, because the number has to be terrible.

The injury bug has definitely bitten, but I'm not sure how different it would be otherwise, even if you had Contreras, Baez, and Russel playing every day and a healthy Bryant (which may not be the case anymore, given the past couple of seasons of issues).

I dunno what you do with this team. I mean, how long ago would they have been completely done for the season had they not acquired Castellanos? He's been a **** hero, and they're still slowly falling out of it.

I think this team is very, very close to needing to be blown up, which is really disappointing given how great 2016 was. 70% of their bats are completely unreliable from one game to the next, Lester and Hamels are just a step away from being done (which is not at all surprising given their ages), and Quintana is a back of the rotation starter. You still don't really have a closer, Kimbrel has been fine, not great, but also old and hurt, and the bullpen is really unreliable as well (although some of the terrible has already been cast off).
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I have been saying the same thing. I can't believe I am saying it either, but I am fine with letting KB go. Lester and Hamels are essentially done in my opinion. I was excited about Kimbrel, but I just don't think he is the answer. And I'll say it again, I just don't think Joe has this team any more.
 
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CyJack13

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But hey Jason McCleod, who has been in charge of the Cubs stellar minor league development, got a promotion yesterday. Theo protecting his guys.
 
Clonefan32

Clonefan32

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The Cubs limp-****ing their way out of the playoffs would be a justified end to this season. I'm actually all for it at this point. Just put the thing out of its misery.
 
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CyJack13

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ISUCubswin said:
IMO, the Dodgers have had the most overall talent for the last 4-5 years in the NL, maybe even longer, and haven’t won a WS.

While I think the Dodgers (Astros, Yankees, Etc) are more talented, it’s whatevee team is hot at the time.

Last year was super depressing by now, and you could read it within the organization. I don’t get that sense right now
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How about now?
 
flynnhicks03

flynnhicks03

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I quit watching last night when they couldn't score after Rizzo's lead-off triple. The team's approach at the plate is just awful, and it doesn't seem like they care to get better. Kind of feels like the team has given up and is just ready for the season to end.
 
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CYdTracked

CYdTracked

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Walden4Prez said:
I have been saying the same thing. I can't believe I am saying it either, but I am fine with letting KB go. Lester and Hamels are essentially done in my opinion. I was excited about Kimbrel, but I just don't think he is the answer. And I'll say it again, I just don't think Joe has this team any more.
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Yeah I am starting to lean towards time to trade one of the once thought "untouchables" in order to bring back a haul of prospects. Bryant to me seems the most logical, it's going to be very expensive and difficult to sign him long term with Boras being his agent. Baez at this point is really the only guy on the team I would say is untouchable and it would take a deal too good to turn down for Contreras and Rizzo next I think. Rizzo is under control through 2021 at $14.5 mil a year. He'll be 32 heading into free agency and I think the Cubs could probably work out a team friendly extension with him now to extend him for a few more seasons. Contreras is arbitration eligible for arbitration through 2022 so would make sense to hold onto him a bit longer and either extend him otherwise shop him for a haul of prospects and move forward with Caratini.

They obviously will have to spend the bulk of the money coming off the books this offseason on at least 1 starting pitcher and a bunch of bullpen arms. As much as some would like to trade Heyward and Darvish their contracts make that nearly impossible without eating a ton of money and even then you won't get much for impact players in return. Darvish has been pretty solid since the All-Star break so hoping that is a sign of good things to come. Over 10 starts he's 3-2 with a 2.69 ER with just 4 walks and a .199 opponent batting average. Hell some of our relievers can knock that walk total out in an inning or 2 these days...
 
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ISUCubswin

ISUCubswin

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CyJack13 said:
How about now?
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I have zero concern. Pitchers blew a game in which the offense kept getting the team back in it. That’s deflating and getting shutout the next day isn’t ideal but understandable.

Truly am not even close to jumping off the ledge material right now. Poorly timed injuries mixed with management that took too long to make moves, the writing was on the wall.

This team still lacks consistency but I think injuries are a huge part of that. We will be fine.
 
ISUCubswin

ISUCubswin

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Haven’t been on really the last week or so. Lots of speculation that the promotion of McLeod wasn’t as much of his own doing as much as it is the FO wanting him to be prepared to ease a young and inexperienced manager
 
ISUCubswin

ISUCubswin

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CyJack13 said:
The whole team is done. Title wiindow closed.
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Genuinely curious - you and I are both critical of the FO. I still think this 2019 team can fix things, and even if they don’t, the 2020 season will be promising because it’s almost a guarantee the FO will be making changes.

You, however, have been saying the title window is closed for awhile now, which not only means this year, but it means for the foreseeable future.

So what moves would you make this offfseason?
 
ISUCubswin

ISUCubswin

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To answer my own question, Jack, here’s what I listed as “potential” returners Tuesday:

ISUCubswin said:
Contreras/Caratini
Rizzo
Hoerner/Baez/Russel/Kemp/Descalso
Bryant/Bote
Schwarber/Happ/Heyward/Almora
.
Click to expand...

14 guys under contract for the Cubs on a 26 man roster (expansion new for 2020 season.) I would guess the new manager will want 13 pitchers, 13 position players.

With the money we have coming off, it’s realistic, in my mind, to see:

Contreras/Caratini
Rizzo
Baez/Hoerner/Russell
Rendon
Bryant/Heyward/Castellanos

Schwarber or Happ, Bote, Kemp round out the 13.

Trade Almora and Schwarber or Happ for a high end RP.

I’m not huge on splurging on SPs quite yet, considering we will hopefully have Rea, Graveman, and Alzolay likes not performing much worse than Hamels’ second half
 
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