greg775 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 The Cubs are scary good. Isn't Epstein the guy who broke the jinx in Boston? Didn't he form the team that won the WS the first time? If he does it with the Cubs as well, he's actually a lock for the Hall of Fame. Crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Yes, Greg, the 2004 and 2007 teams. And, if you look at the core of the 2013 team, Ortiz, Pedroia, Lester, Ellsbury, Buchholz and most of the bullpen were all brought in by Epstein before he left for the Cubs job in 2011 and Cherington took over. Cherington gets due credit for mixing in veterans like Napoli, Victorino, Saltalamacchia and Stephen Drew, but it was 75% an Epstein production. That said, it's really harder to judge the work of guys like Cashman and Epstein because Theo also signed a bunch of terrible free agent contracts over that timeframe that really came home to roost after he left and swamped the career of his successor (3 last place finishes in four years, with that one really good 2013). They also cost Terry Francona his job, the infamous "chicken and beer" in the clubhouse fiasco with Josh Beckett and a host of other veterans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daa84 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 That team has really thrived off their free agent signings. Everyone talked about their internal young guys, but outside of Bryant that team has thrived off of FA signees. On top of that many of those signees are well over performing their career norms - including the entire starting rotation, zobrist, fowler, Ross. How hammel and Hendricks are doing what they are is beyond me. Even Lester has been way better than career norms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 While Upton, Gordon, Chris Davis and Heyward have been huge disappointments (and would have been various degrees of crippling for the White Sox). Only Cespedes has lived up to his billing, although $27.5 million or whatever still is a steep price to pay even for that level of production. Probably to the Mets it's worth it if it gets them back the NL Championship Series at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 QUOTE (daa84 @ Jun 3, 2016 -> 07:39 AM) That team has really thrived off their free agent signings. Everyone talked about their internal young guys, but outside of Bryant that team has thrived off of FA signees. On top of that many of those signees are well over performing their career norms - including the entire starting rotation, zobrist, fowler, Ross. How hammel and Hendricks are doing what they are is beyond me. Even Lester has been way better than career norms Everyone talks about the rebuild, but this team has spent a ton of money too. That gets lost in the narrative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Allen Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 (edited) QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 3, 2016 -> 09:46 AM) Everyone talks about the rebuild, but this team has spent a ton of money too. That gets lost in the narrative. Yes. The tanking for draft picks is way overblown. They made some great trades and signings, and spend several hundred million. Their prizes for sucking were good in Bryant and Schwarber, but what if Houston did the right thing and drafted Bryant? A lot of that tanking would have been for nothing. Edited June 3, 2016 by Dick Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg775 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Jun 3, 2016 -> 03:58 PM) Yes. The tanking for draft picks is way overblown. They made some great trades and signings, and spend several hundred million. Their prizes for sucking were good in Bryant and Schwarber, but what if Houston did the right thing and drafted Bryant? A lot of that tanking would have been for nothing. Win as many games as u can. Tanking is ridiculous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2Jimmy0 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 QUOTE (greg775 @ Jun 3, 2016 -> 11:37 AM) Win as many games as u can. Tanking is ridiculous It's not. If you are the Brewers, Reds, Braves, Phillies, etc right now, there is no reason to try and win games. Get really bad to get really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Cuba just missed Kershaw, now will miss Greinke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pettie4sox Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 QUOTE (Brian @ Jun 3, 2016 -> 01:59 PM) Cuba just missed Kershaw, now will miss Greinke. They can dodge all of the elite pitchers in the regular season. They still have to beat them in the postseason... oops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 QUOTE (Brian @ Jun 3, 2016 -> 07:59 PM) Cuba just missed Kershaw, now will miss Greinke. Missed Nola both times vs Phils also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Does it really matter that they're missing elite pitchers right now? They're going to be in the playoffs so who cares? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Jun 3, 2016 -> 02:12 PM) Does it really matter that they're missing elite pitchers right now? They're going to be in the playoffs so who cares? Shut up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 All 5 starters have a below 3 ERA at this moment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxjr27 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 QUOTE (Brian @ Jun 3, 2016 -> 02:25 PM) Shut up Team of destiny! Flawless! HAHAHAHA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipps Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 3, 2016 -> 02:29 PM) All 5 starters have a below 3 ERA at this moment The regular season is going to be a cake walk for the Cubs. They will have to play great AND hope that luck falls their way in the playoffs. You have to have both happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panerista Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 QUOTE (shipps @ Jun 3, 2016 -> 02:34 PM) The regular season is going to be a cake walk for the Cubs. They will have to play great AND hope that luck falls their way in the playoffs. You have to have both happen. Run and hide, don't get hurt. That's the Cubs this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fathom Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 That's some misplay by Chris Owings. 1 run is enough probably, as Cubs' starters just don't give up runs anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 It'd be funny if they voted David Ross into the All Star game and he lost that game, costing the Cubs home field if they were to get that far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxjr27 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 QUOTE (Brian @ Jun 3, 2016 -> 04:02 PM) It'd be funny if they voted David Ross into the All Star game and he lost that game, costing the Cubs home field if they were to get that far. Stop it. They are not getting that far. If that happens i will have to leave chicago until its over! haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panerista Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 QUOTE (whitesoxjr27 @ Jun 3, 2016 -> 04:08 PM) Stop it. They are not getting that far. If that happens i will have to leave chicago until its over! haha Start your long vacation plans now. If not this year, then soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 (edited) Didn't Greg already guarantee the Cubs' World Series title? At least 3? That's realistically the only thing standing in their way at this point... Edited June 4, 2016 by caulfield12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteSoxfan1986 Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 BABIPs for the Cubs' starting pitchers: Lester: .212 Arrieta: .213 (last year he was at .246) Hammel: .268 (he's also stranded an unsustainable 84 percent of runners) Hendricks: .240 Lackey: .258 So while their starting rotation seems unhittable at the moment, there should at least be some regression coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panerista Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jun 4, 2016 -> 08:39 AM) Didn't Greg already guarantee the Cubs' World Series title? At least 3? That's realistically the only thing standing in their way at this point... This Cubs team in this National league should have a couple of WS appearances. I'm not guaranteeing it, but we all need to get over the Cubs real fast. They're not going away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago White Sox Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 QUOTE (Deadpool @ Jun 4, 2016 -> 10:46 AM) This Cubs team in this National league should have a couple of WS appearances. I'm not guaranteeing it, but we all need to get over the Cubs real fast. They're not going away. Cubs aren't going away, but willhave their best shot this year and next in a weak NL and Arrieta still under contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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