How can the Cubs be competitive in 2015?

Shawon0Meter

Shawon0Meter

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I'm not asking you to put them in the World Series here but if they could be playing meaningful baseball in August and September, maybe even be in the hunt for a wild card spot, that would a much more entertaining product.

Realistically, how can that happen next season?
 

brett05

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Teams can strike :)

Seriously they need three specs to be stars right away and three pitchers to be very good to all star pitchers

That would do it
 

TL1961

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Coghlan - Alcantara - Soler

Bryant - Castro - Baez - Rizzo

Castillo

Lester - Wood - Arietta - Hendricks - Whomever

That will make August games meaningful with two wild card slots. It won't win a WS, but it will be much, much better than what we have been seeing.
 

brett05

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TL1961 said:
Coghlan - Alcantara - Soler

Bryant - Castro - Baez - Rizzo

Castillo

Lester - Wood - Arietta - Hendricks - Whomever

That will make August games meaningful with two wild card slots. It won't win a WS, but it will be much, much better than what we have been seeing.
Click to expand...
You think that's a 25 game swing?
 
JZsportsfan

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Bryant and Soler would have to be ROY candidates. Baez would have to cut down on his K%. Rizzo and Castro would have to continue to improve, and guys like Arrieta or Hendricks can't have any regression. Adding a TOR pitcher would do a lot, but the rotation would still be below average compared to other playoff caliber teams.

Maybe a trade could be made for another TOR guy, maybe Hamels would work in the winter, doubt it though. I think if Bryant, Soler, and Baez are ROY caliber players along with the addition of a TOR guy the Cubs could make a run at the WC. I think there are just too many "ifs" to say 2015 is the year. I think they will win 80 games or so next season
 
chibears55

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TL1961 said:
Coghlan - Alcantara - Soler

Bryant - Castro - Baez - Rizzo

Castillo

Lester - Wood - Arietta - Hendricks - Whomever

That will make August games meaningful with two wild card slots. It won't win a WS, but it will be much, much better than what we have been seeing.
Click to expand...

Put coghlin on bench and get a better all around hitter in LF

Whomever has to be a legit 2/3 starter and if their keeping wood over everyone else they have now, then he has to be no.4 and you hope he pitches like 2013.

Everybody hits and pitches like their capable of , then you have a winner.
 

TL1961

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I said AUGUST games would be meaningful, especially with two wild card spots.

I didn't say they'd win the division or 95 games. a 25-game improvement? How about 15-20?

You don't think adding Baez full year instead of Barney, Soler over this year's RF production with Schierholtz/Sweeney, Bryant over Valbuena, a full year with Alcantara would improve the worst offense in the league?

They were last in the NL before Alcantara and Baez came up, and they moved up several spots since then - and that is with the new guys nowhere near 'red hot" or over their expected production. They are doing less than expected.

Full season of Lester and Arietta instead of 2 months of Shark and Hammels wouldn't improve their record?

First of all, I am certainly not thinking they are a sure thing to get Lester. I was simply answering "how do the games become meaningful."

You think power at 5 positions, and the speed of Alcantara and Baez wouldn't add a lot of runs?

And do you think Bryant and Baez will NOT be ROY candidates?

And Soler may very well out perform them both.

The White Sox are 15 games better this year with the addition of Abreu alone.

Call it Kool Aid if you wish. I am not predicting October baseball in 2015. But if you think that lineup would be out of contention in August you're wrong.

Try reading what is written instead of looking to ridicule what was NOT actually said.
 

TL1961

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chibears55 said:
Put coghlin on bench and get a better all around hitter in LF

Whomever has to be a legit 2/3 starter and if their keeping wood over everyone else they have now, then he has to be no.4 and you hope he pitches like 2013.

Everybody hits and pitches like their capable of , then you have a winner.
Click to expand...

"Whomever" could be Turner or Wada or still Jackson or Strailey or one of several others. That would be the #5. Wood could be #4. Injuries and regression are to be expected. I certainly am not penciling Hendricks in for a full season of excellence based on 6 starts. But I also see him as better than Rusin and Grimm and whoever else has started the past couple years.

This year's record is with a terrible Jackson, Wood having a season far from his best, and their ace pitching 2 months for them.
 

brett05

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TL1961 said:
I said AUGUST games would be meaningful, especially with two wild card spots.

I didn't say they'd win the division or 95 games. a 25-game improvement? How about 15-20?

You don't think adding Baez full year instead of Barney, Soler over this year's RF production with Schierholtz/Sweeney, Bryant over Valbuena, a full year with Alcantara would improve the worst offense in the league?

They were last in the NL before Alcantara and Baez came up, and they moved up several spots since then - and that is with the new guys nowhere near 'red hot" or over their expected production. They are doing less than expected.

Full season of Lester and Arietta instead of 2 months of Shark and Hammels wouldn't improve their record?

First of all, I am certainly not thinking they are a sure thing to get Lester. I was simply answering "how do the games become meaningful."

You think power at 5 positions, and the speed of Alcantara and Baez wouldn't add a lot of runs?

And do you think Bryant and Baez will NOT be ROY candidates?

And Soler may very well out perform them both.

The White Sox are 15 games better this year with the addition of Abreu alone.

Call it Kool Aid if you wish. I am not predicting October baseball in 2015. But if you think that lineup would be out of contention in August you're wrong.

Try reading what is written instead of looking to ridicule what was NOT actually said.
Click to expand...
Feel free to be a man and apologize to me

Heck yes the offense would be better. 25 games better gets them 85-90 wins. No I don't see it. Too much to ask from an inexperienced team. I really see 81 games as high water next year and 78 as realistic.

And the Sox have had more than just Abreu. These two teams are not an apples comparison
 
Shawon0Meter

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JZsportsfan said:
Bryant and Soler would have to be ROY candidates. Baez would have to cut down on his K%. Rizzo and Castro would have to continue to improve, and guys like Arrieta or Hendricks can't have any regression. Adding a TOR pitcher would do a lot, but the rotation would still be below average compared to other playoff caliber teams.

Maybe a trade could be made for another TOR guy, maybe Hamels would work in the winter, doubt it though. I think if Bryant, Soler, and Baez are ROY caliber players along with the addition of a TOR guy the Cubs could make a run at the WC. I think there are just too many "ifs" to say 2015 is the year. I think they will win 80 games or so next season
Click to expand...
80 games would be a nice goal for next season. You look at teams like Cinci and Miami that are sitting at about 60-62 right now and they're 3 or 4 games back of the wild card, that still gives a fan a hope. Are they going to make the playoffs? Probably not, but there is that chance and they're worth paying attention to.
 

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Theo stated after trading Shark and Hammels that he hoped this was the last season in which the Cubs would be obvious sellers at the trade deadline. It's pretty clear they hope to be competitive heading into August 2015.
 
chibears55

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TL1961 said:
"Whomever" could be Turner or Wada or still Jackson or Strailey or one of several others. That would be the #5. Wood could be #4. Injuries and regression are to be expected. I certainly am not penciling Hendricks in for a full season of excellence based on 6 starts. But I also see him as better than Rusin and Grimm and whoever else has started the past couple years.

This year's record is with a terrible Jackson, Wood having a season far from his best, and their ace pitching 2 months for them.
Click to expand...
Sorry wasnt disagreeing with your suggestion, was just using your example to show what id like to see them do..
 

DewsSox79

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Shawon0Meter said:
80 games would be a nice goal for next season. You look at teams like Cinci and Miami that are sitting at about 60-62 right now and they're 3 or 4 games back of the wild card, that still gives a fan a hope. Are they going to make the playoffs? Probably not, but there is that chance and they're worth paying attention to.
Click to expand...

not in the nl central. too many teams that are just better. you have to beat up on your divison and i dont see that happening
 
chibears55

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brett05 said:
Feel free to be a man and apologize to me

Heck yes the offense would be better. 25 games better gets them 85-90 wins. No I don't see it. Too much to ask from an inexperienced team. I really see 81 games as high water next year and 78 as realistic.

And the Sox have had more than just Abreu. These two teams are not an apples comparison
Click to expand...
You only have them winning 8-13 more games in final 41 this year [emoji20]

I think they have another little run in them that could get them to 15+ more wins..

Im hoping for 18 more to get them to my predicted 70 that got laughed at...
 

DewsSox79

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chibears55 said:
You only have them winning 8-13 more games in final 41 this year [emoji20]

I think they have another little run in them that could get them to 15+ more wins..

Im hoping for 18 more to get them to my predicted 70 that got laughed at...
Click to expand...

it doesnt matter. you guys are arguing over stupid shit. if the cubs dont have a good offseason and bring in 2 quality starters it will be the same as this year.
 

TL1961

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brett05 said:
Feel free to be a man and apologize to me

Heck yes the offense would be better. 25 games better gets them 85-90 wins. No I don't see it. Too much to ask from an inexperienced team. I really see 81 games as high water next year and 78 as realistic.

And the Sox have had more than just Abreu. These two teams are not an apples comparison
Click to expand...


Let's see....I said they could be in contention for a wild card spot at least in August. Teams that are .500 in the NL today, Aug 15, are 3 games out of the wild card, so they are playing "meaningful games" while on pace to win 81. The 81 you just said was about what should be expected of them next year.

And somehow I am to apologize (in advance, mind you) for them not winning 90, a number I never predicted!!!!

I never said they'd improve 25 games. Or any specific number. But they certainly don't need to improve 25 games to get to 81. Or 85.
 

TL1961

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I don't expect Kris Bryant to hit MLB and be Mike Schmidt out of the gate.

But MLB is showing the Cubs' offensive production, or lack thereof, at 3rd base this year, and how it ranks in MLB.
Average - Last
OBP - 29th
Strikeouts - Last
Def Runs Scored - 23rd.

I am going to go out on a limb, and say those numbers improve significantly as long as Bryant plays. Call me crazy.

Top of the league in all those? No. Well above last? Hell yeah. (Not the strikeouts, but the others)
 
CSF77

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They need to get to 81 wins before thinking play offs. 2007 they dumped into 2 SP then Sori to turn the ship around. Add DeRosa to that.

2015 will have talent but not adapted talent.

Look at Houston. Their prospects are hitting .230 or lower this year. To think any thing else is sipping the blue stuff.

So what it would take?

Time to adjust
 
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