Cubs 2017 Let's Win Two!

[Saul Goodman]

The mediocrity marches on.

[Yeti]

Let's win two (games in a row)

[Quality Start Machine]

When does the SNEAK ATTACK happen?

[SKO]

When does the SNEAK ATTACK happen?

I think it's been happening all year, and we're the victims.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

When does the SNEAK ATTACK happen?

I think it's been happening all year, and we're the victims.

Poor Cub fans.

[SKO]

When does the SNEAK ATTACK happen?

I think it's been happening all year, and we're the victims.

Poor Cub fans.

I mean if the cost of the WS is that they suck this year I'll take it every time. I'm not trying to be controversial here but I daresay it'd be more fun if they didn't suck, though. I don't expect anyone's pity, but it is far more fun to play the heel when the Cubs are, y'know, good and stuff.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

When does the SNEAK ATTACK happen?

I think it's been happening all year, and we're the victims.

Poor Cub fans.

I mean if the cost of the WS is that they suck this year I'll take it every time. I'm not trying to be controversial here but I daresay it'd be more fun if they didn't suck, though. I don't expect anyone's pity, but it is far more fun to play the heel when the Cubs are, y'know, good and stuff.

2016 will far outshine what 1985 was for the Bears when all is said and done.  Hell, from July, 2015 through last November we saw a run of baseball the likes of which we may not see again.

Or maybe we will.  Just not this year.  This year, the biggest inconvenience is having to stick it out to see just how they'll eke into the playoffs (or embarrassingly die trying).  Though my confidence in this team has been shook a few times this year, I still feel that they'll have some 3-week stretch where they go on a 16-5 tear; and that'd likely be all they need--provided they keep pole-dancing around .500 in the rest of their games--since the gods blessed them with a shitty division this season.  No need to apologize for it, just know that they have the luxury of taking most of the season to get hot.  That it hasn't happened for 3 months now doesn't make it any more or less likely that  it will happen at some point over the next 12 weeks, but I don't know that you need to declare that they won't.  Maybe they won't.  I mean, they've been surprisingly mediocre for 1 full half-season, so I get it.  But it's still half-a season and I don't know why people have this urge to claim them unfit in July.  Maybe they are but ther're still 3 months of games on the schedule.  As painful as some of  these games have been I'm quite enjoying this season because I've been able to pace myself (again, thanks to the crappy division) and I know that, thankfully, they'll be playing meaningful games in September in spite of themselves.  For the 3rd year in a  row.  Holy shit.  Even if it's bad baseball this year.  Just win the whole thing and as long as they're alive to do that--and make no mistake they very much are--then fuckall to this sublime level of baseball that they spoiled us with the previous 2 seasons.  This season is (obviously) different--just calibrate your expectations, even if you think they "suck".

[Quality Start Machine]

I've got tickets for July 29th game in Miller Park. It's certainly going to be more interesting than I thought t would be when we got the tickets.

[SKO]

When does the SNEAK ATTACK happen?

I think it's been happening all year, and we're the victims.

Poor Cub fans.

I mean if the cost of the WS is that they suck this year I'll take it every time. I'm not trying to be controversial here but I daresay it'd be more fun if they didn't suck, though. I don't expect anyone's pity, but it is far more fun to play the heel when the Cubs are, y'know, good and stuff.

2016 will far outshine what 1985 was for the Bears when all is said and done.  Hell, from July, 2015 through last November we saw a run of baseball the likes of which we may not see again.

Or maybe we will.  Just not this year.  This year, the biggest inconvenience is having to stick it out to see just how they'll eke into the playoffs (or embarrassingly die trying).  Though my confidence in this team has been shook a few times this year, I still feel that they'll have some 3-week stretch where they go on a 16-5 tear; and that'd likely be all they need--provided they keep pole-dancing around .500 in the rest of their games--since the gods blessed them with a shitty division this season.  No need to apologize for it, just know that they have the luxury of taking most of the season to get hot.  That it hasn't happened for 3 months now doesn't make it any more or less likely that  it will happen at some point over the next 12 weeks, but I don't know that you need to declare that they won't.  Maybe they won't.  I mean, they've been surprisingly mediocre for 1 full half-season, so I get it.  But it's still half-a season and I don't know why people have this urge to claim them unfit in July.  Maybe they are but ther're still 3 months of games on the schedule.  As painful as some of  these games have been I'm quite enjoying this season because I've been able to pace myself (again, thanks to the crappy division) and I know that, thankfully, they'll be playing meaningful games in September in spite of themselves.  For the 3rd year in a  row.  Holy shit.  Even if it's bad baseball this year.  Just win the whole thing and as long as they're alive to do that--and make no mistake they very much are--then fuckall to this sublime level of baseball that they spoiled us with the previous 2 seasons.  This season is (obviously) different--just calibrate your expectations, even if you think they "suck".

I've certainly taken to mostly just avoiding twitter when they are losing because yes the hand-wringing over this is extreme, and fans baying for blood after all that has happened are really fucking annoying (and lord am I hoping TJ Brown is just seeing how successful his Surrender Thread during last year's playoffs was in a reverse karma sense and trying to recapture the magic rather than actually advocating selling). That said I don't think there must be an objection to every comment about how this year has kinda not been very fun. It would be much easier to celebrate their coronation if they were busy pasting people while doing so.

[Brownie]

When does the SNEAK ATTACK happen?

I think it's been happening all year, and we're the victims.

Poor Cub fans.

I mean if the cost of the WS is that they suck this year I'll take it every time. I'm not trying to be controversial here but I daresay it'd be more fun if they didn't suck, though. I don't expect anyone's pity, but it is far more fun to play the heel when the Cubs are, y'know, good and stuff.

2016 will far outshine what 1985 was for the Bears when all is said and done.  Hell, from July, 2015 through last November we saw a run of baseball the likes of which we may not see again.

Or maybe we will.  Just not this year.  This year, the biggest inconvenience is having to stick it out to see just how they'll eke into the playoffs (or embarrassingly die trying).  Though my confidence in this team has been shook a few times this year, I still feel that they'll have some 3-week stretch where they go on a 16-5 tear; and that'd likely be all they need--provided they keep pole-dancing around .500 in the rest of their games--since the gods blessed them with a shitty division this season.  No need to apologize for it, just know that they have the luxury of taking most of the season to get hot.  That it hasn't happened for 3 months now doesn't make it any more or less likely that  it will happen at some point over the next 12 weeks, but I don't know that you need to declare that they won't.  Maybe they won't.  I mean, they've been surprisingly mediocre for 1 full half-season, so I get it.  But it's still half-a season and I don't know why people have this urge to claim them unfit in July.  Maybe they are but ther're still 3 months of games on the schedule.  As painful as some of  these games have been I'm quite enjoying this season because I've been able to pace myself (again, thanks to the crappy division) and I know that, thankfully, they'll be playing meaningful games in September in spite of themselves.  For the 3rd year in a  row.  Holy shit.  Even if it's bad baseball this year.  Just win the whole thing and as long as they're alive to do that--and make no mistake they very much are--then fuckall to this sublime level of baseball that they spoiled us with the previous 2 seasons.  This season is (obviously) different--just calibrate your expectations, even if you think they "suck".

I've certainly taken to mostly just avoiding twitter when they are losing because yes the hand-wringing over this is extreme, and fans baying for blood after all that has happened are really fucking annoying (and lord am I hoping TJ Brown is just seeing how successful his Surrender Thread during last year's playoffs was in a reverse karma sense and trying to recapture the magic rather than actually advocating selling). That said I don't think there must be an objection to every comment about how this year has kinda not been very fun. It would be much easier to celebrate their coronation if they were busy pasting people while doing so.

I kind of clarified, a little. One, I'm just asking if the thought of selling some pieces has crossed Jepstink's mind. It probably has because I believe they seriously entertain as many options as possible. In 2004, Epstein "surrendered" by dealing their stud franchise shortstop to the Cubs for essentially a light-hitting shortstop and a utility player. Was it a sell? Or was it a buy? Probably a little of both.

The fate of Arrieta was supposed to be the soap opera of the summer, and because he's struggled, it's the least of anyone's concerns. He had a nice outing Sunday, so if he puts together three more decent outings in July does someone overpay for two months plus October of Arrieta?

[SKO]

I kind of clarified, a little. One, I'm just asking if the thought of selling some pieces has crossed Jepstink's mind. It probably has because I believe they seriously entertain as many options as possible. In 2004, Epstein "surrendered" by dealing their stud franchise shortstop to the Cubs for essentially a light-hitting shortstop and a utility player. Was it a sell? Or was it a buy? Probably a little of both.

The fate of Arrieta was supposed to be the soap opera of the summer, and because he's struggled, it's the least of anyone's concerns. He had a nice outing Sunday, so if he puts together three more decent outings in July does someone overpay for two months plus October of Arrieta?

The Nomar thing was not a sell. The team had a playoff spot pretty well in hand, Nomar had missed most of the season with injury, and they were in the middle of an ugly contract dispute. If Jake had missed two months, the entire rotation was performing well without him, and he was publicly feuding with the front office then sure, I'd expect Theo to trade him, too.

Also Orlando Cabrera was hitting poorly at the time with the Expos but he was coming off a career best .807 OPS in 2003 and was a vastly superior defensive SS to Nomar anyway, no one at the time regarded him as some light-hitting glove only player (and he did in fact have a .785 OPS in Boston after the trade). In fact I spent most of that summer pining for Cabrera before they landed Nomar, and not surprisingly Theo Epstein got the better of Jimbo in that deal even if we thought otherwise at the time.

[Quality Start Machine]

I kind of clarified, a little. One, I'm just asking if the thought of selling some pieces has crossed Jepstink's mind. It probably has because I believe they seriously entertain as many options as possible. In 2004, Epstein "surrendered" by dealing their stud franchise shortstop to the Cubs for essentially a light-hitting shortstop and a utility player. Was it a sell? Or was it a buy? Probably a little of both.

The fate of Arrieta was supposed to be the soap opera of the summer, and because he's struggled, it's the least of anyone's concerns. He had a nice outing Sunday, so if he puts together three more decent outings in July does someone overpay for two months plus October of Arrieta?

The Nomar thing was not a sell. The team had a playoff spot pretty well in hand, Nomar had missed most of the season with injury, and they were in the middle of an ugly contract dispute. If Jake had missed two months, the entire rotation was performing well without him, and he was publicly feuding with the front office then sure, I'd expect Theo to trade him, too.

Also Orlando Cabrera was hitting poorly at the time with the Expos but he was coming off a career best .807 OPS in 2003 and was a vastly superior defensive SS to Nomar anyway, no one at the time regarded him as some light-hitting glove only player (and he did in fact have a .785 OPS in Boston after the trade). In fact I spent most of that summer pining for Cabrera before they landed Nomar, and not surprisingly Theo Epstein got the better of Jimbo in that deal even if we thought otherwise at the time.

For the sake of this exercise, would Theo get more in value for Jake now than the first rounder he'd get this winter after qualifying him?

[SKO]

I kind of clarified, a little. One, I'm just asking if the thought of selling some pieces has crossed Jepstink's mind. It probably has because I believe they seriously entertain as many options as possible. In 2004, Epstein "surrendered" by dealing their stud franchise shortstop to the Cubs for essentially a light-hitting shortstop and a utility player. Was it a sell? Or was it a buy? Probably a little of both.

The fate of Arrieta was supposed to be the soap opera of the summer, and because he's struggled, it's the least of anyone's concerns. He had a nice outing Sunday, so if he puts together three more decent outings in July does someone overpay for two months plus October of Arrieta?

The Nomar thing was not a sell. The team had a playoff spot pretty well in hand, Nomar had missed most of the season with injury, and they were in the middle of an ugly contract dispute. If Jake had missed two months, the entire rotation was performing well without him, and he was publicly feuding with the front office then sure, I'd expect Theo to trade him, too.

Also Orlando Cabrera was hitting poorly at the time with the Expos but he was coming off a career best .807 OPS in 2003 and was a vastly superior defensive SS to Nomar anyway, no one at the time regarded him as some light-hitting glove only player (and he did in fact have a .785 OPS in Boston after the trade). In fact I spent most of that summer pining for Cabrera before they landed Nomar, and not surprisingly Theo Epstein got the better of Jimbo in that deal even if we thought otherwise at the time.

For the sake of this exercise, would Theo get more in value for Jake now than the first rounder he'd get this winter after qualifying him?

I really don't think so, no.

[Quality Start Machine]

If you were looking for the low point in this season, look no further.

[Oleg]

If you were looking for the low point in this season, look no further.

Losing a single game to a team that's 7 games over 500 as opposed to being swept by a team 12 games under 500?