2015: The Back To The Future Season

[InternetApex]

If Gerrit Cole brings that to the party on October 7, we goin' Sizzler.

[CT III]

If Gerrit Cole brings that to the party on October 7, we goin' Sizzler.

Or at least Rax.

[ChuckD]

Seriously, though, nobody's expectations in April should have jack shit to do with what the Cubs do in the next 20 days.  Even for Fork, that seemed like a non-sequiter comment.   I think it was pretty clear by mid-August that this team was already going to exceed our preseason prognostications.

Yeah, things I am tired of hearing include "hey if you knew they'd have 82 wins by now in April you'd be super happy, so why be mad when Justin Grimm costs you a game in what had actually become a race for the division because he can't throw strikes to AAAA September callups on the worst team in the league?" and "this team is ahead of schedule"

They're good, they're young, they've certainly exceeded any reasonable expectation but by doing so they've placed themselves as one of the four best teams in baseball this year. Ignore their ages or what you thought they'd do, if you have one of the four best records in baseball you have a serious title contender, so that's the goal now.

Obviously if they lose in the playoffs the disappointment should be tempered by optimism for the future, but it'd still be disappointing. They're good enough to win the whole fuckin' thing. Let's do it.

Not with the starting pitchers not named Arrieta and Lester, they aren't.

This season has been and will continue to be fun, but they aren't winning everything. The fact that they have to use Arrieta against Pittsburgh makes it that much more difficult to beat the Cardinals.

I'm just going to enjoy whatever happens, knowing all this goat/Bartman jinx shit is coming to an end fairly soon. No point in getting butterflies over it this year.

Quick, name a Giants pitcher not named Madison Bumgarner that they used last year that is better than what the Cubs will throw out there (also the Giants had to use MadBum in the WC game). Or name the great Royals starting pitchers that they had to carry them all the way to game 7 of the WS last year.

If they are in, they have as good a shot as anybody. This is just dumb.

If they are in, they have to outhit their inept bullpen, something they couldn't even do against the Phillies. I'm just happy they're getting in.

Why are you happy they're getting in if you don't think they can win it? What the hell is the point?

Because this team is getting their first taste of the postseason, but there are still some susbstantial flaws, mainly the bullpen and back of the rotation. So it's good to see the parts without flaws are good enough to get them in. Next up is getting the pieces this winter to get them over the top.

I feel like you're not getting the crapshootiness of the postseason. It's entirely possible for this year's team to win the World Series and it's entirely possible that they'd shore up every hole next year and still get bounced in the first round.

Ask Nationals fans what it's like to be a talented young team with a seemingly long window of postseason contention yawning ahead of them.

Jeez, Eli.

My point isn't, "Oh, the Cubs are going to fail, too!" it's to stop acting like teams follow some neat, linear pattern of improvement for several years before they're perfectly ripe for a World Series.

I don't think anyone's saying that. Even Fork. I think he's saying that this year's team looks better than we thought it would on paper. And on paper, next year's team should look better. Therefor, they should be able to compete again with the other two elite teams in their division, which is necessary if you want to go to the dance. And I think we're happy about that and not yawning through our gaping hurt butthole instead.

RIP Kaz Matsui

[Quality Start Machine]

If Gerrit Cole brings that to the party on October 7, we goin' Sizzler.

Or at least Rax.

Ronny's?

[Tony]

Not getting my hopes up but I'm also not looking to settle.  Once you're in, anything can fucking happen.

A little from column A, a little from column B. Of course I want them to win, and yeah of course they can win, but I'm just hoping to avoid the stress levels I had in 2003 and 2008 because this should be the beginning of a long run of success. We'll see how well that works once the playoffs start. I'm sure I'll be a wreck.

[Tonker]

Not getting my hopes up but I'm also not looking to settle.  Once you're in, anything can fucking happen.

A little from column A, a little from column B. Of course I want them to win, and yeah of course they can win, but I'm just hoping to avoid the stress levels I had in 2003 and 2008 because this should be the beginning of a long run of success. We'll see how well that works once the playoffs start. I'm sure I'll be a wreck.

Nuh-uh.  Were you not paying attention to Eli?  If the Cubs don't win it all this year, they'll never win it.

[InternetApex]

Not getting my hopes up but I'm also not looking to settle.  Once you're in, anything can fucking happen.

A little from column A, a little from column B. Of course I want them to win, and yeah of course they can win, but I'm just hoping to avoid the stress levels I had in 2003 and 2008 because this should be the beginning of a long run of success. We'll see how well that works once the playoffs start. I'm sure I'll be a wreck.

Nuh-uh.  Were you not paying attention to Eli?  If the Cubs don't win it all this year, they'll never win it.

If you're confused about this concept, go ask a Nationals fan - if you can find one who hasn't slit its wrists after so many years of abject failure.

[Eli]

Not getting my hopes up but I'm also not looking to settle.  Once you're in, anything can fucking happen.

A little from column A, a little from column B. Of course I want them to win, and yeah of course they can win, but I'm just hoping to avoid the stress levels I had in 2003 and 2008 because this should be the beginning of a long run of success. We'll see how well that works once the playoffs start. I'm sure I'll be a wreck.

Nuh-uh.  Were you not paying attention to Eli?  If the Cubs don't win it all this year, they'll never win it.

If you're confused about this concept, go ask a Nationals fan - if you can find one who hasn't slit its wrists after so many years of abject failure.

What a wonderful, nuanced place for discussion Desipio has continued to blossom into, even after all these years.

[CubFaninHydePark]

If Gerrit Cole brings that to the party on October 7, we goin' Sizzler.

I've now spent the last 20 minutes watching clips from the movie on Youtube.  Thanks Pex.

[Tonker]

Not getting my hopes up but I'm also not looking to settle.  Once you're in, anything can fucking happen.

A little from column A, a little from column B. Of course I want them to win, and yeah of course they can win, but I'm just hoping to avoid the stress levels I had in 2003 and 2008 because this should be the beginning of a long run of success. We'll see how well that works once the playoffs start. I'm sure I'll be a wreck.

Nuh-uh.  Were you not paying attention to Eli?  If the Cubs don't win it all this year, they'll never win it.

If you're confused about this concept, go ask a Nationals fan - if you can find one who hasn't slit its wrists after so many years of abject failure.

What a wonderful, nuanced place for discussion Desipio has continued to blossom into, even after all these years.

Magic.  You can't beat a good old Muttley, first thing in the morning.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

So with Soler back, is he going to get a chance to even play?

Currently, this has been the positioning Crazy Joe has rolled out lately

Vs LHP:

L/RF: Jackson/Denorfia (mostly Jackson though)
CF: Fowler
R/LF: Bryant
3B: Baez
SS: Russell
2B: Castro
1B: Rizzo
C: Monteross

Vs. RHP:
LF: Schwarber
CF: Fowler
RF: Coghlan
3B: Bryant
SS: Russel
2B: Baez/Castro
1B: Rizzo
C: Monteross

But with Soler in the mix, how does it shake out?  The only way I see him cracking the lineup is at the expense of Jackson/Denorfia (fine) and Castro (also fine, though Castro has admittedly been hitting much better than he was in June and July).

Vs. LHP:

LF: Bryant
CF: Fowler
RF: Soler/Jackson
3B: Baez
SS: Russell
2B: Castro
1B: Rizzo
C: Monteross

Vs. RHP:

LF: Schwarber
CF: Fowler
RF: Soler/Coghlan
3B: Bryant
SS: Russell
2B: Coghlan/Baez/Castro
1B: Rizzo
C: Monteross

I admit this a lot of thought going into something that could be inconsequential; with 2 weeks left in the season, it doesn't really matter since everyone will be able to stay fresh if everyone plays and they arrive at the playoffs healthy.  But then the lineups might still matter once they get there.

[SKO]

So with Soler back, is he going to get a chance to even play?

Currently, this has been the positioning Crazy Joe has rolled out lately

Vs LHP:

L/RF: Jackson/Denorfia (mostly Jackson though)
CF: Fowler
R/LF: Bryant
3B: Baez
SS: Russell
2B: Castro
1B: Rizzo
C: Monteross

Vs. RHP:
LF: Schwarber
CF: Fowler
RF: Coghlan
3B: Bryant
SS: Russel
2B: Baez/Castro
1B: Rizzo
C: Monteross

But with Soler in the mix, how does it shake out?  The only way I see him cracking the lineup is at the expense of Jackson/Denorfia (fine) and Castro (also fine, though Castro has admittedly been hitting much better than he was in June and July).

Vs. LHP:

LF: Bryant
CF: Fowler
RF: Soler/Jackson
3B: Baez
SS: Russell
2B: Castro
1B: Rizzo
C: Monteross

Vs. RHP:

LF: Schwarber
CF: Fowler
RF: Soler/Coghlan
3B: Bryant
SS: Russell
2B: Coghlan/Baez/Castro
1B: Rizzo
C: Monteross

I admit this a lot of thought going into something that could be inconsequential; with 2 weeks left in the season, it doesn't really matter since everyone will be able to stay fresh if everyone plays and they arrive at the playoffs healthy.  But then the lineups might still matter once they get there.

My guess is he'll take Jackson's starts, but Jackson may still come in as a late inning defensive sub for him. Offense wise they're about equal, with Jorge presumably offering more upside, but I'd think the Cubs having an investment in Jorge beyond this year would dictate that they want to at least get him some ABs.

[R-V]

So with Soler back, is he going to get a chance to even play?

Currently, this has been the positioning Crazy Joe has rolled out lately

Vs LHP:

L/RF: Jackson/Denorfia (mostly Jackson though)
CF: Fowler
R/LF: Bryant
3B: Baez
SS: Russell
2B: Castro
1B: Rizzo
C: Monteross

Vs. RHP:
LF: Schwarber
CF: Fowler
RF: Coghlan
3B: Bryant
SS: Russel
2B: Baez/Castro
1B: Rizzo
C: Monteross

But with Soler in the mix, how does it shake out?  The only way I see him cracking the lineup is at the expense of Jackson/Denorfia (fine) and Castro (also fine, though Castro has admittedly been hitting much better than he was in June and July).

Vs. LHP:

LF: Bryant
CF: Fowler
RF: Soler/Jackson
3B: Baez
SS: Russell
2B: Castro
1B: Rizzo
C: Monteross

Vs. RHP:

LF: Schwarber
CF: Fowler
RF: Soler/Coghlan
3B: Bryant
SS: Russell
2B: Coghlan/Baez/Castro
1B: Rizzo
C: Monteross

I admit this a lot of thought going into something that could be inconsequential; with 2 weeks left in the season, it doesn't really matter since everyone will be able to stay fresh if everyone plays and they arrive at the playoffs healthy.  But then the lineups might still matter once they get there.

My guess is he'll take Jackson's starts, but Jackson may still come in as a late inning defensive sub for him. Offense wise they're about equal, with Jorge presumably offering more upside, but I'd think the Cubs having an investment in Jorge beyond this year would dictate that they want to at least get him some ABs.

For the playoffs, I'm most interested in seeing how Joe weighs (a) wanting Coghlan and Soler's bats in the lineup (assuming George doesn't come back completely rusty) vs. (b) playing the run prevention angle with Jackson in RF and Castro/Baez at 2B. My guess is he'll go with the latter when Arrieta and Lester are on the mound. Or you'll see Coghlan/Soler get 2 at bats, or maybe 3 at the most, before getting pulled if the Cubs have any sort of lead.

[InternetApex]

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I couldn't stand that guy.