Chicago Cubs Thread - Playoff Push Pending

Tear it all down.

Seeing suggestions we may not sell because our July isn't very difficult -- but it isn't particularly easy either, besides Arizona all of our opponents are right around .500.

This team was never built to contend this year. Let's not further fuck up our future by chasing a division title that isn't going to happen

The Cubs have been decimated by injuries and it's worse than it seems. The production of Rizzo, Bryant, Baez and Contreras has dropped and all are affected physically. None of the outfielders are producing. The bench is on the IL and growing by the day. The starting rotation can't make it past the sixth inning and the bullpen is showing wear and tear. Kimbrel should be the Cubs sole rep at the All Star game and everyone else should rest and recuperate.

Given their stats and their physical ailments, I doubt the pending free agents would bring much in return. Kimbrel would be the exception.

Cubs finished 12-16 for June and are riding a six game losing streak. Day off tomorrow, then 10 games against the Reds, Phillies and Cardinals before the break. The course of the season may be decided during that time span.

BlackjackMc said:

The Cubs have been decimated by injuries and it's worse than it seems. The production of Rizzo, Bryant, Baez and Contreras has dropped and all are affected physically. None of the outfielders are producing. The bench is on the IL and growing by the day. The starting rotation can't make it past the sixth inning and the bullpen is showing wear and tear. Kimbrel should be the Cubs sole rep at the All Star game and everyone else should rest and recuperate.

Given their stats and their physical ailments, I doubt the pending free agents would bring much in return. Kimbrel would be the exception.

Cubs finished 12-16 for June and are riding a six game losing streak. Day off tomorrow, then 10 games against the Reds, Phillies and Cardinals before the break. The course of the season may be decided during that time span.

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Kimbrel, Bryant, Rizzo, Baez, Davies, Joc, Chafin all have decent value. Any of the first 4 could net really good prospect talent - the last 3 and even Winkler might get something in return. Kimbrels value is pretty high because he has a $16 team option for 2022 too, which is looking like a good point for him now.

Cubs bats in June died - dead last in almost every major category - carried by Wisdom and a few decent pitching games. Nico is coming back, maybe even as soon as this weekend, but likely next week - his bat isn't going to save this offense. 6 game losing streak isn't the end of the world, but get the feeling like something major needs to shift - Cubs have been way too reliant on the bullpen, barely getting anything out of any starter not named Hendricks. Anyone can get hot at the right time, and the Cubs have split with the Mets and Dodgers and won the season series against the Pads - so they can compete, but need all systems firing, and this team has too much jekyll and hyde in them to assume they will turn it on even if they can figure out how to squeak into the playoffs.

wsc8521s said:

Tear it all down.

Seeing suggestions we may not sell because our July isn't very difficult -- but it isn't particularly easy either, besides Arizona all of our opponents are right around .500.

This team was never built to contend this year. Let's not further fuck up our future by chasing a division title that isn't going to happen

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The Cubs schedule in July is laughably easy, but it isn't like the Brewers have a difficult schedule themselves - Brewers only have 6 games next month against teams currently over .500. It is entirely possible that the Cubs could have a good month and still lose ground in July.

The Brewers offense was incredibly bad until about two weeks ago. In addition to Yelich's injury, essentially everyone was way below their career averages (even after their recent splurge, the Brewers offensive numbers are bad). If the Brewers offense is just mediocre, the Brewers pitching staff is so strong. No team in baseball has top 3 with the stuff of Woodruff, Burnes and Peralta (who is the best of the 3 IMO, his motion is ridiculously athletic), and the Brewers pen is deep. Barring injuries, don't see anyone in the Central beating the Brew Crew this year.

w84it said:

The Cubs schedule in July is laughably easy, but it isn't like the Brewers have a difficult schedule themselves - Brewers only have 6 games next month against teams currently over .500. It is entirely possible that the Cubs could have a good month and still lose ground in July.

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The only point of getting better is making the playoffs. Who do you expect to find there? An easy stretch on the schedule will lie to management and the fans. I hate that we seem to have another year of cold, expensive bats, made bad decisions in hindsight about letting Yu and Schwarbs go and have decided to squander the return of Craig Kimbrel, but it is time to face facts. If this line up could be counted on later in the year, they've done a fine job of hiding it the last three seasons. I hate it but it's time to move on.

WokeandBroke said:

The only point of getting better is making the playoffs. Who do you expect to find there? An easy stretch on the schedule will lie to management and the fans. I hate that we seem to have another year of cold, expensive bats, made bad decisions in hindsight about letting Yu and Schwarbs go and have decided to squander the return of Craig Kimbrel, but it is time to face facts. If this line up could be counted on later in the year, they've done a fine job of hiding it the last three seasons. I hate it but it's time to move on.

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But who do you keep and let go?

ResilientDeac said:

But who do you keep and let go?

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I'm ready to be disappointed by new players. The current roster has let me down too many times. I say move everyone. Anyone you leave behind is going to be cheated anyway. Get value while you can. Kimbrel, KB, Baez and Rizzo. It hurts but a slow march to mediocrity is more painful in the end. For context, my childhood trauma was watching the Dolphins gradually stumble through the slow and painful decline of Dan Marino's career.

Interesting lineup tonight. Ross put his "best" eight players on the field, rearranged the batting order and modified the defense to do so. Nobody on the bench is more deserving of a start using career stats. Maybe Ross is stressing a fresh start to the second half of the season. As poorly as the team has performed recently, it can't hurt.

Sometimes Ross makes no sense. The decision to replace Alec Mills with Adam Morgan to face Votto in the bottom of the sixth was just plain stupid. You don't replace your starter, who is pitching a two hit shutout, with your #4 LH reliever to face a career .303 hitter and absolute career nemesis. Never ever.

It’s a wrap. Get whatever value we can from whoever and try to build something for the years to come.

Cubs are in deep shit. 8 back and playing like crap.

Time to get what you can and dump everyone.

Whoever made the decision to pitch Adam Morgan and Kohl Stewart in the eighth inning doesn't understand the importance of keeping the score close late in the game. Given the lack of Cub offense, a Philly 4-2 lead was probably sufficient to win. A 10-2 lead means it's over.

Theo was right at the end of 2019. The Cub offense was completely broken. Apparently it still is broken.

Well I guess it’s good to know that we are absolutely selling at this point. Right?

LOL Bad team.

ResilientDeac said:

Well I guess it’s good to know that we are absolutely selling at this point. Right?

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Lets hope so. Will miss the core, but at this point, either sign them or move them, no point in holding onto them and getting at best a draft pick unless they really cant find any takers. And hopefully there isn't any garbage where we take worse prospects so the other team will pay off more of the salary. Ideal scenario:

Cubs sign extension with - Rizzo
Guys that should be moved and have good value - KB, Baez, Kimbrel, Joc, Davies, Chafin
Guys that should be moved and have less value - Winkler, Brothers, Marisnick
Guys that we should DFA/60 day IR - Arrieta, Sogard
Guys that we should trade away and eat as much salary as it takes - Heyward

Team next year would be Willy and Happ on last year deals, expected to be flipped or extended if the contract is right - with Rizzo, Hoerner and Bote left. Hendricks, Alzolay and Mills holdover as starters and the young core of RPs come back - Thompson, Nance, Wieck, Maples, Stewart, Wick & Steele. Need a SS/3B, 2 OFs a bC and 3 more bench bats plus 2 starters and a couple low cost relievers. Lose 100+ games for two years in a row and wait and see what happens with Davis, Amaya, Marquez, Howard, Morel, Strumpf, Jensen, Abbott and buy around them.

Arrieta to the DL, Cory Abbott called up.

Hoyer says it won't be a full teardown.... I think that might be worse. The rumors circling are KB and Kimbrel are definitely going to be moved, but that Riz and Baez are potentially available because the Cubs still want to potentially resign them. Really expecting Hoyer to drag his feet and completely bungle this. If they are selling, sell all, no reason to hold onto players unless there is a contract in place (which it sounds like there isn't at all).

Adam Morgan needs a ticket out of town, despite the Ross fascination with him. Enters the game with a runner on first, one out and Cubs down 2-0. Baserunner steals second. Tommy Edman immediately homers. Cubs down 4-0. In Morgan's seven appearances all four inherited runners have scored. To make matters worse, he has bequeathed five runners and four of them have scored. Throw in two unearned runs and he is responsible for 10 runs in seven appearances and 4.1 innings. A great candidate for DFA.

BlackjackMc said:

Adam Morgan needs a ticket out of town, despite the Ross fascination with him. Enters the game with a runner on first, one out and Cubs down 2-0. Baserunner steals second. Tommy Edman immediately homers. Cubs down 4-0. In Morgan's seven appearances all four inherited runners have scored. To make matters worse, he has bequeathed five runners and four of them have scored. Throw in two unearned runs and he is responsible for 10 runs in seven appearances and 4.1 innings. A great candidate for DFA.

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Came here to say this but with anger instead of the stats. Which makes me more angry.