How bad are the Cubs????

[czman]

I don't think the Cubs are as bad as their record. The Cubs are at a -10 run differential for the year, but are 10 games under 500. Teams normally with that type of run differential are closer to 500.

The Cubs have the most blown saves in the league and the lowest save %. They also have the 6th most save opportunities.

If the Cubs would have converted on NL average for saves they would have 6 more wins right now. 41-39.

What this really tells me is that they are are playing a lot of tight ball games and not finding ways to win them.

Obviously Bullpen help (closer specifically) would go a long way in curing some of the Cubs illness. The Cubs also need to get rid of this crap coaching staff they have. Dale has done nothing to maximize wins. If anything he is costing the team games.

I honestly think with a new manager and a half decent closer the Cubs can win ~84 games next season. Probably not enough to make the playoffs, but enough to call them competitive. They have to solve the bullpen and manager issues though. 2 years of Dale has been enough. No one in their right mind would look at the way he manages and call him the manager of the future.

 

[SilenceS]

I don't think the Cubs are as bad as their record. The Cubs are at a -10 run differential for the year, but are 10 games under 500. Teams normally with that type of run differential are closer to 500.

The Cubs have the most blown saves in the league and the lowest save %. They also have the 6th most save opportunities.

If the Cubs would have converted on NL average for saves they would have 6 more wins right now. 41-39.

What this really tells me is that they are are playing a lot of tight ball games and not finding ways to win them.

Obviously Bullpen help (closer specifically) would go a long way in curing some of the Cubs illness. The Cubs also need to get rid of this crap coaching staff they have. Dale has done nothing to maximize wins. If anything he is costing the team games.

I honestly think with a new manager and a half decent closer the Cubs can win ~84 games next season. Probably not enough to make the playoffs, but enough to call them competitive. They have to solve the bullpen and manager issues though. 2 years of Dale has been enough. No one in their right mind would look at the way he manages and call him the manager of the future.

You would be surprised how many people argue that the team is bad and Sveum hasn't gotten a fair shake. I don't blame Sveum for the team being bad. I blame him for his in game managing skills that are pretty awful. I wouldn't mind having Sveum as an instructor coach, but no way as a manager.

Also, I think 84 is pushing. Trading away Garza and Feldman before its done is going to hurt. We also need offense and not just offense but offense that can hit with RISP. I think with a better bullpen and a few good moves. They could be competitive, but Im not sure what this FO is going to do.

 

[nwfisch]

They're going to get worse at the deadline. 90 losses again.

 

[czman]

You would be surprised how many people argue that the team is bad and Sveum hasn't gotten a fair shake. I don't blame Sveum for the team being bad. I blame him for his in game managing skills that are pretty awful. I wouldn't mind having Sveum as an instructor coach, but no way as a manager.

Also, I think 84 is pushing. Trading away Garza and Feldman before its done is going to hurt. We also need offense and not just offense but offense that can hit with RISP. I think with a better bullpen and a few good moves. They could be competitive, but Im not sure what this FO is going to do.

I agree, if they trade away players and don't bring back some of the players who have played well on 1 year deals ~84 wins is probably not going to happen.

If they would have had a real closer and manager at the beginning of this season they would probably be over 500. You are probably correct though. We will probably see a fire sale and the Cubs will take one step forward and two steps back.

I am not even sure I want Dale as an instructor. Barney/Castro/Rizzo have all regressed. Young hitters are not showing growth under his regime. I don't think he deserves any position in the Cubs organization fight now. Let the man make a living elsewhere. The Cubs should be focusing on getting the very best coaches and managers. If they want a youth movement than having exceptional coaches and managers becomes an even greater benefit. This should happen throughout the organization. Not just at the MLB level.

 

[patg006]

Bad enough for cz to start a thread.....

Anyways.....

Blame the bullpen, sure its sucked. Blame Sveum, sure--he's sucked and struggles with the 12 piece jigsaw puzzle that wouldnt give a toddler fits.

You've missed the god awful stat that still plagues them--which is converting baserunners into runs. Cubs suck with RISP.....cubs suck with runners on base and moving them.

~84 wins is a hell of a reach for a team about to hand out 2-3 starters being consistent in these games, probably their best RBI/power hitter in Soriano, their current best hitter (Scheirholtz.) Who makes up/improves on these stats? Because unless we see Junior Lake lead a charge and Rizzo be consistent again, and Castro hit 300 again--unless we bag a big fish. I see another 65-75 win team......

Of course things can change

 

[czman]

Bad enough for cz to start a thread.....

NFL is still a bit away and NBA is not in FA yet and will be dead after that.

Anywho, you must have missed by above post. I already addressed most of what you typed.

 

[BrudderBear]

I agree on some things. They definitely have a lot more tight games this season where they are actually competing. In fact, I would to see a stat of how many games the Cubs have had the lead in the 8th or 9th inning but lost the game. Our bullpen, and Marmol, have blown multiple games for us this year. That being said, when the bullpen is not f ing up, our hitting is amazingly shitty. Our supposed "star" player can't even get a hit.

 

[patg006]

NFL is still a bit away and NBA is not in FA yet and will be dead after that.

Anywho, you must have missed by above post. I already addressed most of what you typed.

Fair enough. Even worse that the bulls aren't spenders.....garpax has to go. And Dwight Howard is a fuckin prick.

Bears I'm excited for, but the nfl in general--meh. I got a feeling all the adventists due to concussion suits are coming true.

 

[KBisBack!]

I don't think the Cubs are as bad as their record.

LOL!!

These kind of statements are always extremely dumb.

You are EXACTLY what your record says you are.

The Cubs record is bad. The team is bad.

End of story.*




* = 100% baseball related content

 

[Boobaby1]

You are EXACTLY what your record says you are.

Which one of these teams between the Cardinals and Pirates aren't as good as their record shows? Just thought I'd flip the tables.

 

[chibears55]

I don't think the Cubs are as bad as their record. The Cubs are at a -10 run differential for the year, but are 10 games under 500. Teams normally with that type of run differential are closer to 500.

no doubt the bullpen cost a lot of games early on ( before gregg ) and not being able to drive in runs.

Dale has done nothing to maximize wins. If anything he is costing the team games.

sure he has made some questionable moves, but he can only use the players he has

 

[mountsalami]

I don't think the Cubs are as bad as their record.

Welcome to the beginning of the "rewarding journey" my dearest friend.........

Your post has brought tears to my eyes. It was so beautiful.

[video=youtube;-WEbCUJBJXU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-WEbCUJBJXU[/video]




:elephant::elephant::elephant::elephant::elephant: :elephant::elephant::elephant::elephant::elephant: :elephant:

 

[CSF77]

The team was built to become a seller. The reason that some of the numbers look good is because the player that were added ( with the intention to sell off) have preformed. Guys like Schierholtz, Gregg, Feldman have all exceeded expectations and now will become trade goods. The thing that you are failing to understand is teams that are built to win games are not built like this. They are not buy low players with an intention to get a good trade return. Teams that are built to win do not have to depend on platoons at positions that depend on run production. They don't have a core of young player that have not hit their primes as the foundations. The don't depend on players past their primes to be the clean up. In the end this team is exactly what it was intended to be. Bad enough to sell off but with some players that made some posters question why they were so bad. You see if the had a quality core of proven bets in their prime then Rizzo's sophomore slumping s would not be pronounced. 1 platoon in RF or 3B would not have been a issue. Pluging in a starter who was cast off on a contender would not been a big deal. If each situation was the only one. But this team was constructed as such and it was bound to fail.

 

[Mr. Cub]

We are pretty bad.

 

[brett05]

We are pretty bad.

My team is way worse.

 

[Mr. Cub]

My team is way worse.

You're an Lastro's fan?? :thinking:

 

[brett05]

You're an Lastro's fan?? :thinking:

JR Richards, Nolan Ryan, The killer B's. Nope.

 

[Mr. Cub]

JR Richards, Nolan Ryan, The killer B's. Nope.

Ha. I know you're a Sox guy. I didn't realize they were actually worse than the Cubs right now. I guess the Cubs only kinda suck, there is like 3-5 teams as bad/worse than us....

 

[brett05]

Ha. I know you're a Sox guy. I didn't realize they were actually worse than the Cubs right now. I guess the Cubs only kinda suck, there is like 3-5 teams as bad/worse than us....

And then when you think about the talent the Sox have I think they'd have to be 10+ games better than the Cubs to truly call them a better team

 

[The Bandit]

We're bad, but we are "improved" over last season. Even if it is marginal. still 90 losses or so though.