Cubs 2017 Let's Win Two!

[R-V]

So jumping off Maddon's comments from yesterday, and understanding it won't be a straight platoon situation, something like this?

vs. RHP
Schwarber - LF
Bryant - 3B
Rizzo - 1B
Zobrist - 2B
Russell - SS
Heyward - RF
Contreras - C
Jay - CF

vs. LHP
Zobrist - LF
Bryant - 3B
Rizzo - 1B
Contreras - C
Russell - SS
Heyward - RF
Baez - 2B
Almora - CF

With Montero catching Jake and maybe once more per week, and La Stella getting maybe a start a week.

Added the positions so I could see it better.  Not sure how I feel about Contreras 4th.  The troika of Schwarber-Baez-Zobrist is interesting. 3 players, 2 positions.

Agree on Contreras - I don't think there's a clear choice in that cleanup spot if Zobrist would indeed slot into the leadoff spot.

[SKO]

So jumping off Maddon's comments from yesterday, and understanding it won't be a straight platoon situation, something like this?

vs. RHP
Schwarber - LF
Bryant - 3B
Rizzo - 1B
Zobrist - 2B
Russell - SS
Heyward - RF
Contreras - C
Jay - CF

vs. LHP
Zobrist - LF
Bryant - 3B
Rizzo - 1B
Contreras - C
Russell - SS
Heyward - RF
Baez - 2B
Almora - CF

With Montero catching Jake and maybe once more per week, and La Stella getting maybe a start a week.

Added the positions so I could see it better.  Not sure how I feel about Contreras 4th.  The troika of Schwarber-Baez-Zobrist is interesting. 3 players, 2 positions.

Agree on Contreras - I don't think there's a clear choice in that cleanup spot if Zobrist would indeed slot into the leadoff spot.

I would like both of those lineups a hell of a lot better if I knew we were getting Pre-2016 Heyward. If Heyward hits you can slot anyone in that lineup other than Jay/Almora 1-7 and you're still scoring a metric fuckton of runs.

[R-V]

So jumping off Maddon's comments from yesterday, and understanding it won't be a straight platoon situation, something like this?

vs. RHP
Schwarber - LF
Bryant - 3B
Rizzo - 1B
Zobrist - 2B
Russell - SS
Heyward - RF
Contreras - C
Jay - CF

vs. LHP
Zobrist - LF
Bryant - 3B
Rizzo - 1B
Contreras - C
Russell - SS
Heyward - RF
Baez - 2B
Almora - CF

With Montero catching Jake and maybe once more per week, and La Stella getting maybe a start a week.

Added the positions so I could see it better.  Not sure how I feel about Contreras 4th.  The troika of Schwarber-Baez-Zobrist is interesting. 3 players, 2 positions.

Agree on Contreras - I don't think there's a clear choice in that cleanup spot if Zobrist would indeed slot into the leadoff spot.

I would like both of those lineups a hell of a lot better if I knew we were getting Pre-2016 Heyward. If Heyward hits you can slot anyone in that lineup other than Jay/Almora 1-7 and you're still scoring a metric fuckton of runs.

I would too. Then again, sports probably wouldn't be very fun if we already knew what would happen before the games started.

[Saul Goodman]

So jumping off Maddon's comments from yesterday, and understanding it won't be a straight platoon situation, something like this?

vs. RHP
Schwarber - LF
Bryant - 3B
Rizzo - 1B
Zobrist - 2B
Russell - SS
Heyward - RF
Contreras - C
Jay - CF

vs. LHP
Zobrist - LF
Bryant - 3B
Rizzo - 1B
Contreras - C
Russell - SS
Heyward - RF
Baez - 2B
Almora - CF

With Montero catching Jake and maybe once more per week, and La Stella getting maybe a start a week.

Added the positions so I could see it better.  Not sure how I feel about Contreras 4th.  The troika of Schwarber-Baez-Zobrist is interesting. 3 players, 2 positions.

Agree on Contreras - I don't think there's a clear choice in that cleanup spot if Zobrist would indeed slot into the leadoff spot.

I would like both of those lineups a hell of a lot better if I knew we were getting Pre-2016 Heyward. If Heyward hits you can slot anyone in that lineup other than Jay/Almora 1-7 and you're still scoring a metric fuckton of runs.

I would too. Then again, sports probably wouldn't be very fun if we already knew what would happen before the games started.

If I knew the Cubs would win the championship every year for the next decade, I'd still have fun.

[Eli]

So jumping off Maddon's comments from yesterday, and understanding it won't be a straight platoon situation, something like this?

vs. RHP
Schwarber - LF
Bryant - 3B
Rizzo - 1B
Zobrist - 2B
Russell - SS
Heyward - RF
Contreras - C
Jay - CF

vs. LHP
Zobrist - LF
Bryant - 3B
Rizzo - 1B
Contreras - C
Russell - SS
Heyward - RF
Baez - 2B
Almora - CF

With Montero catching Jake and maybe once more per week, and La Stella getting maybe a start a week.

Added the positions so I could see it better.  Not sure how I feel about Contreras 4th.  The troika of Schwarber-Baez-Zobrist is interesting. 3 players, 2 positions.

Contreras 4th against lefties is fine by me.

[Quality Start Machine]

I'm putting the over/under on different lineups used by Joe at 120.

[SKO]

I'm putting the over/under on different lineups used by Joe at 120.

I'll take the over. Last year he used 130 different lineups (not counting pitcher changes) and that was with a clear-cut every day CF.

[Tony]

I'm putting the over/under on different lineups used by Joe at 120.

I'll take the over. Last year he used 130 different lineups (not counting pitcher changes) and that was with a clear-cut every day CF.

I wonder how often Heyward will end up in CF as a way to get both Javy and Zobrist in the line up.

[CBStew]

I'm putting the over/under on different lineups used by Joe at 120.

I'll take the over. Last year he used 130 different lineups (not counting pitcher changes) and that was with a clear-cut every day CF.

I wonder how often Heyward will end up in CF as a way to get both Javy and Zobrist in the line up.

What team in baseball would not want to have that problem?

[Saul Goodman]

Tyson Ross reportedly signing with the Rangers. FIRE THEO.

Nah. Might be a good bet that Joe's pet Travis Wood will be brought back now.

[R-V]

Moving on to the pitching, assuming a 13 man staff:

Locks
Lester
Hendricks
Arrieta
Lackey
Montgomery

Davis
Rondon
Strop
Edwards
Grimm
Uehara

That leaves two spots for the following candidates. Who ya got? It'd be nice if they could stash Zastryzny & Johnson in the Iowa rotation to keep them stretched out.

Lefties
Duensing (arguably a lock, but a 1 year $2 M deal could be eaten pretty easily I imagine)
Zastryzny
Leathersich
Rollins
Shirtless Power Hitting Hillbilly (still on the market)

Righties
Pierce Johnson
Pena
Buchanan
Brooks

[Quality Start Machine]

Throw Caleb Smith, the lefty they took in the Rule 5 draft, into the mix as well.

[CBStew]

Go to Facebook and see Obama honoring the Cubs at the White House today

[Quality Start Machine]

As per Rosenthal on Twitter...

Brett Anderson. A Cub.

[Saul Goodman]

As per Rosenthal on Twitter...

Brett Anderson. A Cub.

*if the duct tape holds on long enough for him to pass a physical