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Fangraphs has the Cubs as the 5th best team in the NL. That may be a little strong. lol
brett05
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I could see them that high if everything works out. But that "If" should be in much bigger font.
JZsportsfan
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It's both. Pirates losing Martin will hurt, but they will still be a good team. Reds and Brewers were bad teams for the majority of last season and haven't done much if anything to get better for next season. Cardinals got a bit better landing Heyward, Cubs have improved a lot landing what they've landed and getting Bryant along with a full season of everybody else.
In terms of the NL:
Nationals, Marlins, Cardinals. Dodgers, Giants, are better IMO as of now. But the Cubs at 5/6 is not much of a reach
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Im looking more of the Pirates of 2012. They show the potential, but have stretches of just bad young baseball. Then, they get some momentum towards the end of the season. Finish around 78 wins and are ready to be real contenders in 2016.
CSF77
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Have to figure 50% will work.
beckdawg
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So, it's January and the cubs still haven't made any of the trades that seem obvious(Jackson/Wood/maybe Castillo). Feels like Shields and Scherzer not signing yet has set back the time table.
CSF77
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MLTR. I've thought he would be a good target. I do believe this opinion has little factual backing. Right now for the 4/5 spots in the rotation they have Hendricks/Wada (4 mil invested with 2 in incentives) My opinion is this is who they are going to end up with. 2nd option Wood and Turner. Doubront IMO lacked a SO/9 to be considered and will end up a BP option.
Shields is a investment and IMO should only be made if they are all in and after seeing the moves thus far they are not all in mode.
Boobaby1
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It will be in bigger font this year. Have you seen the size of the Jumbotron where their record will be? :woot:
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My favorite teams
I wonder who are the possibilities.
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Giordano's is selling these this weekend.
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My favorite teams
Too bad it isn't Malnati's. I'd have one expressed my way.
TL1961
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Saw this on Twitter with a response "Is it made with goat cheese?"
CSF77
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CHICAGO -- The Cubs avoided arbitration Friday with Jake Arrieta, Welington Castillo, Travis Wood, Chris Coghlan and Luis Valbuena, and exchanged salary figures with reliever Pedro Strop.
Wood, coming off a rough season in 2014, received a significant raise as the left-hander signed a one-year, $5.685 million contract. Wood, who turns 28 Feb. 6, was 8-13 with a 5.03 ERA in 31 starts. An All-Star in 2013, Wood did set a career high with 146 strikeouts but also posted personal highs in hits (190) and walks (76) allowed. He made $3.9 million in 2014.
Arrieta, 28, signed a one-year, $3.63 million contract. The right-hander had a stellar season with the Cubs in which he compiled a 10-5 record and 2.53 ERA in 25 starts, including his first complete game and shutout. The right-hander carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning in three starts, the first Cubs pitcher to do so since 1950.
Castillo hit a career-high 13 home runs last season, batting .237 in 110 games. The catcher settled for a one-year, $2.1 million contract, and it's not clear where he ranks on the Cubs' depth chart following the acquisition of Miguel Montero and David Ross this offseason.
Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said it's possible the club could keep all three catchers on the roster but added the team was open to the possibility of a trade.
Castillo was one of four players who did not attend the Cubs Convention, which got underway Friday at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers. Valbuena also was absent. The third baseman, who agreed to a one-year, $4.2 million contract, set career high in games played (149), home runs (16), runs (68), hits (72), doubles (33), triples (four), and RBIs (51). He ranked fifth among National League third basemen in home runs in 2014. This is Valbuena's third year of arbitration; he made $1.71 million last season.
http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/...tration-with-pitcher-jake-arrieta-four-others
Wood, coming off a rough season in 2014, received a significant raise as the left-hander signed a one-year, $5.685 million contract. Wood, who turns 28 Feb. 6, was 8-13 with a 5.03 ERA in 31 starts. An All-Star in 2013, Wood did set a career high with 146 strikeouts but also posted personal highs in hits (190) and walks (76) allowed. He made $3.9 million in 2014.
Arrieta, 28, signed a one-year, $3.63 million contract. The right-hander had a stellar season with the Cubs in which he compiled a 10-5 record and 2.53 ERA in 25 starts, including his first complete game and shutout. The right-hander carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning in three starts, the first Cubs pitcher to do so since 1950.
Castillo hit a career-high 13 home runs last season, batting .237 in 110 games. The catcher settled for a one-year, $2.1 million contract, and it's not clear where he ranks on the Cubs' depth chart following the acquisition of Miguel Montero and David Ross this offseason.
Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said it's possible the club could keep all three catchers on the roster but added the team was open to the possibility of a trade.
Castillo was one of four players who did not attend the Cubs Convention, which got underway Friday at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers. Valbuena also was absent. The third baseman, who agreed to a one-year, $4.2 million contract, set career high in games played (149), home runs (16), runs (68), hits (72), doubles (33), triples (four), and RBIs (51). He ranked fifth among National League third basemen in home runs in 2014. This is Valbuena's third year of arbitration; he made $1.71 million last season.
http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/...tration-with-pitcher-jake-arrieta-four-others
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Baez interview and different things.
http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-say-javier-baez-will-have-earn-his-playing-time
http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-say-javier-baez-will-have-earn-his-playing-time
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1/25 Maddon: “I want to see him smile”
Cubs manager Joe Maddon was in Puerto Rico this weekend to watch Javier Baez play in the championship series with Santurce. What was he looking for? Maddon told the young infielder he wanted to “see him smile.”
“My purpose is to see Javier Baez play,” Maddon told El Nuevo Dia on Saturday. “Being a new member of the Cubs organiation, being the manager and Javier being such a big part of our future, I thought it was important to come down and show support and start building that kind of relationship so he could trust me, also. From my perspective, the most important thing I have to do in Spring Training is earn the trust of all of our players.”
Baez, who batted .169 in 52 games with the Cubs last season, hitting nine home runs but also striking out 95 times in 213 at-bats, started playing for Santurce on Dec. 11. In the round robin playoffs, he did deliver a walk-off RBI single in the 10th on Jan. 12, but in the first two championship games, he was 0-for-9 with six strikeouts.
“He’s trying way too hard,” Maddon said. “I want him to back off. The last thing I want him to do is try to impress me tonight. … I said, ‘Hit a couple singles and above all, I want to see you smile.'”
On Saturday, Baez went 1-for-4 and scored a run in Santurce’s 6-0 win over Mayaguez. The best-of-seven series is now tied at 2-2, and Game 5 was scheduled for Sunday at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
Baez, 22, told El Nuevo Dia he was impressed that Maddon would come visit him in Puerto Rico. Maddon has talked to Santurce manager Eduardo Perez about Baez as well.
– Carrie Muskat
http://muskat.mlblogs.com/2015/01/25/125-maddon-i-want-to-see-him-smile/
Cubs manager Joe Maddon was in Puerto Rico this weekend to watch Javier Baez play in the championship series with Santurce. What was he looking for? Maddon told the young infielder he wanted to “see him smile.”
“My purpose is to see Javier Baez play,” Maddon told El Nuevo Dia on Saturday. “Being a new member of the Cubs organiation, being the manager and Javier being such a big part of our future, I thought it was important to come down and show support and start building that kind of relationship so he could trust me, also. From my perspective, the most important thing I have to do in Spring Training is earn the trust of all of our players.”
Baez, who batted .169 in 52 games with the Cubs last season, hitting nine home runs but also striking out 95 times in 213 at-bats, started playing for Santurce on Dec. 11. In the round robin playoffs, he did deliver a walk-off RBI single in the 10th on Jan. 12, but in the first two championship games, he was 0-for-9 with six strikeouts.
“He’s trying way too hard,” Maddon said. “I want him to back off. The last thing I want him to do is try to impress me tonight. … I said, ‘Hit a couple singles and above all, I want to see you smile.'”
On Saturday, Baez went 1-for-4 and scored a run in Santurce’s 6-0 win over Mayaguez. The best-of-seven series is now tied at 2-2, and Game 5 was scheduled for Sunday at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
Baez, 22, told El Nuevo Dia he was impressed that Maddon would come visit him in Puerto Rico. Maddon has talked to Santurce manager Eduardo Perez about Baez as well.
– Carrie Muskat
http://muskat.mlblogs.com/2015/01/25/125-maddon-i-want-to-see-him-smile/
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That's one way for a manager to add to the win column.
brett05
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How many runs did it score ??? That's right....Zero
Still a good move by Maddon getting to know his team asap
TL1961
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I want to see Javy make ME smile.
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If he takes the pressure of Javy and Javy turns the corner, he just scored a lot more than runs. He scored wins.
brett05
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He helps reduce mistakes. You really need to stop this myth
