2015: The Back To The Future Season

[SKO]

*taps mic*

*clears throat*

There's a lot of talk of adding bullpen arms and another starter, but why is no one talking about the offense? Or is that happening and I've missed it? Here's their MLB ranks:

Runs: 23rd
OPS: 17th
oWAR: 20th
wRC+: 23rd

These are actually worse than I thought. I figured their production was roughly average or a bit better. Guess not. And on the non-numbers side of things, my gut feeling on anyone besides Bryant and Rizzo is pretty meh. Obviously they can't have a lineup of just Rizzos and Bryants. But maybe they should consider calling up the organization's likely-third-best hitter and getting him in the lineup?

Maybe it's just that left field seems like the only place where they could make an improvement, so there's just not much to discuss.

RV brought this up once and this was basically it, and apparently for half of the people on twitter if you even say Coghlan needs replacing you're pissing on sacred ground.

Fowler appears to be a streaky player and it feels like they go as he goes. Same with Russell, who you obviously have to ride with even when he gets cold. If he sets the table Bryant and Rizzo have guys to drive in. Otherwise we just have to hope Jorge really is going to be back after just 15 days like he says and that he comes back as Good Jorge and not Bad Jorge. Would really have been nice to see what they could have done with Javy and Jorge in the lineup together. Hopefully they can add a Zobrist type or something at the deadline to give them a guy they can mix in at some different spots to provide a spark and upgrade the depth on the bench.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I really expect Castro to start hitting.  I've been as down on the guy as anyone but I notice he's been driving the ball to the opposite field gap a little but lately, so here's hoping.

But yeah it's mostly been Rizzo and Bryant which in and of itself is a nice duo to have but they could use more meat.

[SKO]

Honestly Lester has pitched about as well as I expected Hammel to pitch going into this season and Hammel has been one of the best pitchers in baseball so it evens out. Score some fucking runs.

[R-V]

This is what's funny about this team - this is the 2nd (maybe 3rd - too lazy too look it up) year that they've had a top-10ish pitching staff and a not-good offensive team, yet all anyone wants to talk about is how the organization is thin on pitching. At some point this Sleeping Giant that is the Cubs offense needs to actually wake up and hit the piss out of the ball.

[SKO]

This is what's funny about this team - this is the 2nd (maybe 3rd - too lazy too look it up) year that they've had a top-10ish pitching staff and a not-good offensive team, yet all anyone wants to talk about is how the organization is thin on pitching. At some point this Sleeping Giant that is the Cubs offense needs to actually wake up and hit the piss out of the ball.

I just don't think anyone wants to criticize Russell or Bryant or Soler if they're not hitting because you just have to be patient there, Rizzo's never stopped hitting, Fowler is what he is (a perfectly average-ish major league center fielder), and certain people get called twats if they complain about "low hanging fruit in the lineup" like Chris Coghlan and David Ross, and it's not like we haven't wasted a few thousand words (most of them stupid) on Starlin Castro.

So in short I guess we tell that slapdick Montero to pick it up. We're counting on you, Miggy.

[Quality Start Machine]

I really expect Castro to start hitting.  I've been as down on the guy as anyone but I notice he's been driving the ball to the opposite field gap a little but lately, so here's hoping.

This. I don't know what bee his got in his bonnet that made him try pulling everything, but if he's hitting gap-to-gap again, we'll actually see some production.

[PenFoe]

This is what's funny about this team - this is the 2nd (maybe 3rd - too lazy too look it up) year that they've had a top-10ish pitching staff and a not-good offensive team, yet all anyone wants to talk about is how the organization is thin on pitching. At some point this Sleeping Giant that is the Cubs offense needs to actually wake up and hit the piss out of the ball.

I just don't think anyone wants to criticize Russell or Bryant or Soler if they're not hitting because you just have to be patient there, Rizzo's never stopped hitting, Fowler is what he is (a perfectly average-ish major league center fielder), and certain people get called twats if they complain about "low hanging fruit in the lineup" like Chris Coghlan and David Ross, and it's not like we haven't wasted a few thousand words (most of them stupid) on Starlin Castro.

So in short I guess we tell that slapdick Montero to pick it up. We're counting on you, Miggy.

What's important is that you've been able to move past this.

[SKO]

I really expect Castro to start hitting.  I've been as down on the guy as anyone but I notice he's been driving the ball to the opposite field gap a little but lately, so here's hoping.

This. I don't know what bee his got in his bonnet that made him try pulling everything, but if he's hitting gap-to-gap again, we'll actually see some production.

Castro in June: .296/.345/.519. It would be nice if there were ever two guys other than Rizzo and Bryant hot at the same time but it appears we've just traded Castro being mostly useless with Montero being mostly useless, then had to replace Jorge Soler with Junior Lake right as Jorge was seemingly warming back up.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

This is what's funny about this team - this is the 2nd (maybe 3rd - too lazy too look it up) year that they've had a top-10ish pitching staff and a not-good offensive team, yet all anyone wants to talk about is how the organization is thin on pitching. At some point this Sleeping Giant that is the Cubs offense needs to actually wake up and hit the piss out of the ball.

I just don't think anyone wants to criticize Russell or Bryant or Soler if they're not hitting because you just have to be patient there, Rizzo's never stopped hitting, Fowler is what he is (a perfectly average-ish major league center fielder), and certain people get called twats if they complain about "low hanging fruit in the lineup" like Chris Coghlan and David Ross, and it's not like we haven't wasted a few thousand words (most of them stupid) on Starlin Castro.

So in short I guess we tell that slapdick Montero to pick it up. We're counting on you, Miggy.

What's important is that you've been able to move past this.

Coghlan's OPS is higher than Soler's right now.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Felt it only fair to throw that out there.

[SKO]

Felt it only fair to throw that out there.

Oh yeah Jorge had an awful stretch that was worse than anyone on the roster, probably including Castro, no one is denying that. Just saying that whereas it's very rational and sane to hope that the Cubs fire Coghlan into the sun and find an upgrade in left because Coghlan's a replacement player, you can't really do much when Jorge is scuffling other than hope he figures it out.

I mean I think we'd all be disappointed if Soler finished with an OPS+ of 99, but A) I don't expect him to and B)Guys have had worse rookie seasons, certainly, either way he's not going anywhere. Coughlan putting up similar numbers as a rookie in a slump is not a point in his defense.

[Quality Start Machine]

Felt it only fair to throw that out there.

Oh yeah Jorge had an awful stretch that was worse than anyone on the roster, probably including Castro, no one is denying that. Just saying that whereas it's very rational and sane to hope that the Cubs fire Coghlan into the sun and find an upgrade in left because Coghlan's a replacement player, you can't really do much when Jorge is scuffling other than hope he figures it out.

I mean I think we'd all be disappointed if Soler finished with an OPS+ of 99, but A) I don't expect him to and B)Guys have had worse rookie seasons, certainly, either way he's not going anywhere. Coughlan putting up similar numbers as a rookie in a slump is not a point in his defense.

When you're getting gaffed and landed by Huard, maybe you need to sniff the bait first.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Felt it only fair to throw that out there.

Oh yeah Jorge had an awful stretch that was worse than anyone on the roster, probably including Castro, no one is denying that. Just saying that whereas it's very rational and sane to hope that the Cubs fire Coghlan into the sun and find an upgrade in left because Coghlan's a replacement player, you can't really do much when Jorge is scuffling other than hope he figures it out.

I mean I think we'd all be disappointed if Soler finished with an OPS+ of 99, but A) I don't expect him to and B)Guys have had worse rookie seasons, certainly, either way he's not going anywhere. Coughlan putting up similar numbers as a rookie in a slump is not a point in his defense.

When you're getting gaffed and landed by Huard, maybe you need to sniff the bait first.

Hey I've been riding on the Coghlan Firebarn all year; I just happened to notice this morning that his is the 4th highest OPS on the team for regulars.  

This actually bolsters Eli's point but it also makes me hate Coghlan just a little bit less.

[SKO]

Jorge will come back swinging a heavy dick in the hot summer air, Russell will warm back up, Castro will be somewhat better, and Bryant and Rizzo will just keep on keeping on. They'll get fucking hotter than shit and shove it right up our dumb fucking faces and you can PRINT IT.

[InternetApex]

This is what's funny about this team - this is the 2nd (maybe 3rd - too lazy too look it up) year that they've had a top-10ish pitching staff and a not-good offensive team, yet all anyone wants to talk about is how the organization is thin on pitching. At some point this Sleeping Giant that is the Cubs offense needs to actually wake up and hit the piss out of the ball.

One might even go as far as suggesting that we're in a pitching-dominant era and that decent pitching can be had so easily that giving up elite hitting prospects for pitchers is poor baseball business.