Do you honestly think the Cubs can win in the playoffs as currently constructed?
I think that this team in playoffs would probably not make it out of the first round. But I thought the same thing about the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals and they have a World Series title.
:lmao: Why is that ridiculous? That should be the goal of every team, no matter how bad they are. Tell the Phillies, Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers, and every other team's fans that.
That should be the goal of every organization, but is that realistic? There is no magic formula for winning in the postseason. I can show you case after case of the best team not winning the World Series. The expectation should be to get into the playoffs. My goal for the Cubs every year is pretty much the same. I want them to win 90+ games and make the playoffs. I knew they wouldn't likely reach either goal, but if my team does that enough it will win a World Series.
The Cubs are 10 out now. They won't even get to the playoffs!
Again I ask, Do you honestly think the Cubs can win in the playoffs as currently constructed?
Again show me one post that I said this was a good baseball team. I said it was an average team that if everything broke its way could make the playoffs. I don't know how they would do in the playoffs, and no matter what you want to say neither do you.
That is the point. There is no formula for success in the playoffs. Baseball executives having been trying to find one for over a century now, and there just isn't one. Teams have one with great offenses and without. Teams have won with great defenses and without. Teams have won with great pitching and without. There is a reason that the baseball regular season is nearly twice as long as any other sport. There is so much randomness in the game that the only way to truly determine the better teams is over that long of a season.
The Rockies were the best team in the last month of 07, they got swept by the Red Sox. Anyone else?
And you prove my point about there being no magic formula. Teams have gone into the playoffs hot and then lost. Teams have gone into playoffs cold and then gotten hot. The only thing that determines the World Series once you get into the playoffs is how you play in about three weeks of baseball. As we have countless examples teams with less talent are capable of playing really well for that amount of time and beat teams with more talent.
So the Cubs core of Ramirez, Soriano, and Fukdome should be retained? I just want to know, because some people on here swear by Soriano.
I want the Cubs to field the best possible team that they can realistically field next year. I think that means keeping some of the guys you mentioned due to a variety of factors.
I would lean towards the Cubs keeping Ramirez, if they could convince him to come back on a short term deal that is cheaper than his team option. The reason is that they aren't viable options in the system right now to take his spot, and what is available on the market is likely to be garbage (unless you want to play fantasy baseball and call Pujols a 3B).
Soriano is going to be here because no one will take his contract. I don't think the Cubs would be better off paying another team 90% of his salary to just be rid of him. If another team wanted to take that entire contract I would gladly trade him for the waiver fee. Soriano isn't the worst player on this team, and he does provide offensive value to this team. So if I could waive him and have another team claim him I would jump for joy. But since that won't happen I will deal with him in LF on a terrible contract. Having Soriano does not prevent this team from winning, and in fact if Soriano was just counted on to be a guy to provide bottom of the order power he could be quite useful.
Fukudome I could go either way on to be honest. I love the OBP he provides to the team, and he, Pena, and Soto really are the only guys that are capable of working a count at all on this team. I don't want to pay him 12 million to do that however. I also wouldn't be opposed to trading him, picking up a little salary to get a quality prospect or two back. The reason is because the system has several options at OF that might be viable. Brett Jackson being the most likely.
Let me sum it up here because I think you missed my point. I think that the goal for next year should be to make the playoffs. I think that with a few smart moves and improvements from within this team could reach that goal.
