Cubs

Valuist

EOG Master
Fangraphs has them 8th in MLB in defense. But they were 1st in 2016. The defense definitely isn't what it was in 2016.

The 2016 Cubs were a dominant team but this team feels like it just doesn't have that extra gear. Get the feeling the hunger is gone.
 

FairWarning

Bells Beer Connoisseur
Fangraphs has them 8th in MLB in defense. But they were 1st in 2016. The defense definitely isn't what it was in 2016.

The 2016 Cubs were a dominant team but this team feels like it just doesn't have that extra gear. Get the feeling the hunger is gone.
They are awful at defense this year. It has really let them down this month also.

Cubs were fortunate to win today, even though the ump missed that check swing strike bad.
 

MrTop

EOG Master
the cubs bring up their best SS prospect...... can't reach 1st base from SS on an easy play.


they miss baez and russell......bad timing on injuries
 

FairWarning

Bells Beer Connoisseur
will theo leave to the bosox?
I think that’s a east coast rumor, nothing can be ruled out though. Obviously the biggest news is this could be Maddon’s final weekend as a cubs manager at Wrigley field. Extremely doubtful he’s coming back. His replacement appears to be David Ross.
 

kane

EOG master
Another ninth inning choke job, along with another Brewer victory, the Cubs are now on life support
 

MrTop

EOG Master
theo said in the beginning of the year Baseball prospectus ratings were off. BP had the cardinals day 1 to win the division
 

ComptrBob

EOG Master
got swept 4 games by the cards at home

Yep, only the second time in MLB history the home team got swept in 4 games all by one run. The previous time was 100 years ago, the Indians swept the RedSox in Fenway. Interestingly, the first game the Red Sox lost in that series was in 13 innings, all pitched by Babe Ruth!
 

MrTop

EOG Master
Yep, only the second time in MLB history the home team got swept in 4 games all by one run. The previous time was 100 years ago, the Indians swept the RedSox in Fenway. Interestingly, the first game the Red Sox lost in that series was in 13 innings, all pitched by Babe Ruth!




WOW ! I would of thought it happened more than that thru the years .....
 

FairWarning

Bells Beer Connoisseur
Anyone remember Soler for Wade Davis?

Now the American Leader in Home Runs...

No one saw that from Soler. Wonder if he is on the juice? He hated playing in weather under 50 in Chicago.

No doubt Madden deserves some blame, but Epstein seems to be getting a pass in this.
 

kane

EOG master
I don't follow the Cubs, so I may be wrong in my opinion, but at the time, the Cubs needed a closer and Davis was one of the best, if I remember correctly the Cubs had a lot of outfielders and Soler seemed expendable, I don't think anyone expected him to lead the league in HR's this year, some guys blossom later than others, so I don't know if anyone really deserves blame for trading Soler at that time, but the Cubs guys here would know more than me
 

FairWarning

Bells Beer Connoisseur
I don't follow the Cubs, so I may be wrong in my opinion, but at the time, the Cubs needed a closer and Davis was one of the best, if I remember correctly the Cubs had a lot of outfielders and Soler seemed expendable, I don't think anyone expected him to lead the league in HR's this year, some guys blossom later than others, so I don't know if anyone really deserves blame for trading Soler at that time, but the Cubs guys here would know more than me
No one complained about it then, rarely hear about it now. Ironic how the Cubs dont really believe in giving long term deals to closers (prudent), but ended up having to do it this year. It failed miserably. Easily Theo's biggest downfall in Chicago to date is he hasn't drafted a pitcher that has made an impact with the Cubs, unless you consider drafting Cease why they got Quintana for. Actualy the other thing that really bothered me about Theo is his FA signings of hurt players based on value. He counted heavily on Morrow.
 

Valuist

EOG Master
Former Cubs home run leaderboard:

1. Soler 48
2. Torres 38
3. Donaldson 37
4. Jimenez 31
5. Vogelbach 30
6. LeMahieu 26
7. Castro 22
8. Fowler 19
9. LaStella 16 (in half a season)
 
Theo overrated... period! He has made way more bad G

A guy who has helped win two franchises win three titles? Hardly overrated. It think what we can say is he's better at rebuilding teams than keeping them at the top. I bet he leaves and rebuilds another franchise into a title winner again.
 

kane

EOG master
Former Cubs home run leaderboard:

1. Soler 48
2. Torres 38
3. Donaldson 37
4. Jimenez 31
5. Vogelbach 30
6. LeMahieu 26
7. Castro 22
8. Fowler 19
9. LaStella 16 (in half a season)

I had no idea Josh Donaldson was a Cub
 

kane

EOG master
A guy who has helped win two franchises win three titles? Hardly overrated. It think what we can say is he's better at rebuilding teams than keeping them at the top. I bet he leaves and rebuilds another franchise into a title winner again.

It's hard to take away winning a WS in Boston and Chicago, but both teams have so much money to spend he can give out a handful of bad contracts and it doesn't matter. I'd like him to take over a team like Cincinnati or Pittsburgh where just one bad contact can hamstring a team and his margin for error would be much smaller, but the guy did win 3 titles which can't be forgotten either
 
It's hard to take away winning a WS in Boston and Chicago, but both teams have so much money to spend he can give out a handful of bad contracts and it doesn't matter. I'd like him to take over a team like Cincinnati or Pittsburgh where just one bad contact can hamstring a team and his margin for error would be much smaller, but the guy did win 3 titles which can't be forgotten either

I think the secret is you can't win so easily buying a team of free agents. Everyone is seeing this now, even the big spenders. If Theo wins again it will be going to tear down a mediocre team and building them back up. That's his specialty and really what he should focus on. Few GMs or coaches are good for the entire cycle, no shame in that.
 

Valuist

EOG Master
I had no idea Josh Donaldson was a Cub

He was in their minor league system. The Cubs traded for Rich Harden in 2008 and Donaldson was maybe a Single A player who nobody heard of at the time. I think Harden was out of MLB by 2010. Funny thing, getting Donaldson was one of Beane's best trades, but trading him to Toronto was one of his worst.
 

MrTop

EOG Master
He was in their minor league system. The Cubs traded for Rich Harden in 2008 and Donaldson was maybe a Single A player who nobody heard of at the time. I think Harden was out of MLB by 2010. Funny thing, getting Donaldson was one of Beane's best trades, but trading him to Toronto was one of his worst.




beane cannot afford the better players so he dumps them in their 4th or 5th years... before they become Arb or F.A. it is all about the benjamins. Cannot fault beane at all he knew he had chapman who can play at a lesser payroll coming up... agree the trade did not work out...but Beane's recipe to win is much better than theo who needs money to win.... Boston wanted beane before Theo.... beane turned them down just before hiring theo. Beane took a small ownership in the A's ...smarter in the long run. Beane easliy top 3 or 4 GM's in MLB...
 

FairWarning

Bells Beer Connoisseur
beane cannot afford the better players so he dumps them in their 4th or 5th years... before they become Arb or F.A. it is all about the benjamins. Cannot fault beane at all he knew he had chapman who can play at a lesser payroll coming up... agree the trade did not work out...but Beane's recipe to win is much better than theo who needs money to win.... Boston wanted beane before Theo.... beane turned them down just before hiring theo. Beane took a small ownership in the A's ...smarter in the long run. Beane easliy top 3 or 4 GM's in MLB...
If Theo were in OAkland and Beane were in Chicago or Boston, who would have done better? I would say Theo because he could build a minor league system. I don't know why these teams have success , then go out and spend huge FA money.
 

MrTop

EOG Master
If Theo were in OAkland and Beane were in Chicago or Boston, who would have done better? I would say Theo because he could build a minor league system. I don't know why these teams have success , then go out and spend huge FA money.




the redsox don't agree with you.. They offered 3 million to beane he turned it down to own part of the A's .....theo then took the job in boston. ........i think beane does a better job than theo. ....theo has money and screws it up.... theo fell in love with horrible players and got players with little gas in the tank.
 

Valuist

EOG Master
the redsox don't agree with you.. They offered 3 million to beane he turned it down to own part of the A's .....theo then took the job in boston. ........i think beane does a better job than theo. ....theo has money and screws it up.... theo fell in love with horrible players and got players with little gas in the tank.

Back in 2003 nobody knew who Theo was. I agree with Fair Warning. Theo does a great job of building up position players in a farm system. Let's not forget, the bulk of the WS winning Red Sox team last year was still the work of Theo. And I already listed the former Cubs HR leaderboard. The guy is great at scouting young hitters. Free agents? Not so much.

But back to Beane, he even said it himself. "My shit don't work in the postseason." And he's right. And it will be proven yet again when Tampa dumps them in the WC game.
 
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