IST: Cubs @ Rangers — Season Opener

[beckdawg]

If the Cubs play bad baseball, I'm going to ***** about it. Are we only allowed to post positive things about the Cubs now?

Presumably you're a grown ass adult. No one is stopping you from doing anything. My point is what does you bitching about how the cubs are shit accomplish except making yourself and others feel shitty? I'm not going to speak for everyone here but listening to those who whine on here when the cubs play poorly just makes me not want to come here and talk about baseball. I frankly don't see what people such as yourself get out of it. Clearly you don't want people to explain to you how things can get better. So what you just wanna wallow in misery? And if so wouldn't you just be happier not watching the games?

Like... I just don't fucking get that mindset. You're spending a portion of your life deliberately being unhappy on a hobby you choose to watch. And if that's all it was then fine i mean C'est la vie. What bothers me is you being depressing sucks my enjoyment out of stuff too. Seems like too many people who proclaim to be fans spend all their time trying to find ways the team can't win and then spend even more time trying to convince others who think the team can of that.

I'm always going to look for that silver lining. The day I stop doing that is the day I stop caring enough to watch.

 

[beckdawg]

Oh and just so we're clear here... I want to point out that this past 4 years has been the best 4 year period in cubs baseball since at least the 20's and possibly ever. I don't have the records up in front of me atm but suffice to say it's the best cubs teams in our lifetimes. So, yeah I mean maybe I go hard on people who constantly whine about this period of time. But the negativity some have is absurd. Go ask some balitmore fans about really shit teams and terrible outlook for the future.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

I may just do that. Thanks for the option.

 

[chibears55]

I'm always going to look for that silver lining. The day I stop doing that is the day I stop caring enough to watch.

Only silver lining I see with this Bullpen is if Morrow comes back and is healthy and affective enough to resume the closer role and a couple of those young arms can come up and be helpful...

I have zero confidence in Edwards and Chatwood, and very little in Montgomery right now...

The bullpen right now is a disaster as most of us predicted it would be..

 

[CSF77]

I'll take this series as the bats are looking really good right now. 28 runs in a 3 game set is promising.

The bad we kinda knew going in. As far as Hamels giving up a slam. He is going to have good and bad games at this stage of his career. The pen is a larger concern right now.

The plus is that they have 3 interesting arms at Iowa. Mapels, Alozay and Mekkes. I'm pretty sure we will see all 3 sooner than later at this point

But considering the investment made you have to understand that upper management has to allow the cash commitment to force those decisions vs forcing a decision. Duesing forced their hand in spring training and they reacted. Every decision will be based off of a performance based decision. It won't be a knee jerk reaction. It will be based off of a series of outings.

 

[beckdawg]

Only silver lining I see with this Bullpen is if Morrow comes back and is healthy and affective enough to resume the closer role and a couple of those young arms can come up and be helpful...

I have zero confidence in Edwards and Chatwood, and very little in Montgomery right now...

The bullpen right now is a disaster as most of us predicted it would be..

Disaster isn't the word I'd use. And to be honest I think people are over reacting to how much it matters. Consider this, the 2015 team won 97 games. They had Rodon, Strop, Wood, Grimm, Motte, James Russell, Edwin Jackson, Rosscup, Clayton Richard and Cahill. I'd say this team is far superior to that team. 2016 pre trading for Monty and Chapman had Rodon, Strop, Wood, Cahill, Grimm, Edwards, Spencer Patton and Warren. Again this team's bullpen I'd argue is superior. 2017 I'd argue was comparable to this year.

Point here being, I think it's sort of missing the point until you are talking about playoffs. And we know if they are in contention there will be additions in july.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I'll take this series as the bats are looking really good right now. 28 runs in a 3 game set is promising.

The bad we kinda knew going in. As far as Hamels giving up a slam. He is going to have good and bad games at this stage of his career. The pen is a larger concern right now.

The plus is that they have 3 interesting arms at Iowa. Mapels, Alozay and Mekkes. I'm pretty sure we will see all 3 sooner than later at this point

But considering the investment made you have to understand that upper management has to allow the cash commitment to force those decisions vs forcing a decision. Duesing forced their hand in spring training and they reacted. Every decision will be based off of a performance based decision. It won't be a knee jerk reaction. It will be based off of a series of outings.

Hamels should have been out of that inning, twice. Not saying you shouldn't be mentally tough after bad calls go against you but it can affect you and it did. Otherwise he looked very good, attacked the zone and of the starters he probably worries me the least.

As far as the pen, it's terrible mix right now. I thought the starting pitching would cover that up until some guys got healthy and some of the arms stashed at AAA could get their groove going but that may no be the case. If Morrow is healthy, Cedeno can get you through to a mid-season acquisition and Montgomery gets back to where he can be they'll be OK. Those are a lot of ifs and I share the concerns on Edwards and Chatwood. Both have the tools, neither seems to have the drive or what have you to take it to the next level and that may not change. This offense though looks legit, not from the results but from the underlying approaches that each of the big five of KB, Rizzo, Baez, Schwarber and Contreras seem to come in with this season. It's going to be fun. Milwaukee and St. Louis have their own pitching woes. Whoever gets theirs settled is going to be the team to beat and the Cubs have as good a shot at that as any.

 

[CSF77]

Hamels should have been out of that inning, twice. Not saying you shouldn't be mentally tough after bad calls go against you but it can affect you and it did. Otherwise he looked very good, attacked the zone and of the starters he probably worries me the least.

As far as the pen, it's terrible mix right now. I thought the starting pitching would cover that up until some guys got healthy and some of the arms stashed at AAA could get their groove going but that may no be the case. If Morrow is healthy, Cedeno can get you through to a mid-season acquisition and Montgomery gets back to where he can be they'll be OK. Those are a lot of ifs and I share the concerns on Edwards and Chatwood. Both have the tools, neither seems to have the drive or what have you to take it to the next level and that may not change. This offense though looks legit, not from the results but from the underlying approaches that each of the big five of KB, Rizzo, Baez, Schwarber and Contreras seem to come in with this season. It's going to be fun. Milwaukee and St. Louis have their own pitching woes. Whoever gets theirs settled is going to be the team to beat and the Cubs have as good a shot at that as any.

Looking at the early results only I would hang my hat on Cishek, Kintzler and Brach. But that is why you need a body of work to make a educated decision. Not 1-2 games.

 

[CSF77]

As far as Hamels is concerned. I really didn't see him pitch. That said a guy at 35 is basically what we saw with Maddux returning. Good and bad. His value was his experience to the younger players. But I wouldn't expect what we saw last year. I'm personally expecting a ERA hovering 4.

BAA: Hamels .300, Darvish: .222 Lester .190. Darvish's walks killed his outing. But that is key to where they are at. Are they being hit or not.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

As far as Hamels is concerned. I really didn't see him pitch. That said a guy at 35 is basically what we saw with Maddux returning. Good and bad. His value was his experience to the younger players. But I wouldn't expect what we saw last year. I'm personally expecting a ERA hovering 4.

BAA: Hamels .300, Darvish: .222 Lester .190. Darvish's walks killed his outing. But that is key to where they are at. Are they being hit or not.

First I worry about stuff, then I worry about command. Darvish actually commanded all of his pitches but the FB and the stuff was sharp. He can't lose that command on any sort of a regular basis though and we'll all find out about that soon enough. Q's stuff was good. He still has the issue of bouts of poor control but he should be OK. Lester is essential late period Lackey now, that guy is going to dig deep to find a way to win but the tools aren't sharp. He really needs to be their 4 or 5 but that's going to be up to the other guys. If the starting pitching looks bad in a week my concern will hit a pretty high level, in a month I'll be panicked. For now, I'm cautiously looking for ways to be optimistic. As far as the relievers go it's abad mix. That will have to be fixed one way or another through return from injuries, internal depth or external options. I've heard some people concerned about Strop though and he's the least of my concerns. the guy is the most consistent reliever I've ever seen in a Cubs uniform. he'll be fine.

 

[Diehardfan]

I bet you’re one of those people who drive in the left lane doing 10 under..

Little Matty Boy, it's a baseball forum....try and keep up. I know it's difficult for you.

 

[SilenceS]

As far as Hamels is concerned. I really didn't see him pitch. That said a guy at 35 is basically what we saw with Maddux returning. Good and bad. His value was his experience to the younger players. But I wouldn't expect what we saw last year. I'm personally expecting a ERA hovering 4.

BAA: Hamels .300, Darvish: .222 Lester .190. Darvish's walks killed his outing. But that is key to where they are at. Are they being hit or not.

Ump was terrible. No set zone and was all over the place from inning to inning. Hamels struck out two batter looking that werent even borderline pitches. The balls were fully inside the lines of the zone. The ump basically created the whole inning and even squeezed him in the bat to DeShields. ESPN crew really started getting on the ump towards the end of the game. Not one ounce of consistency.

 

[Globetrotter]

Little Matty Boy, it's a baseball forum....try and keep up. I know it's difficult for you.

Project much?

You’re actually correct about it being a baseball forum, though. Yet, you constantly seem to draw exception to people voicing their opinions about baseball.

 

[CSF77]

Fair

Ump was terrible. No set zone and was all over the place from inning to inning. Hamels struck out two batter looking that werent even borderline pitches. The balls were fully inside the lines of the zone. The ump basically created the whole inning and even squeezed him in the bat to DeShields. ESPN crew really started getting on the ump towards the end of the game. Not one ounce of consistency.

Fair enough. That is why I value a body of work. 1 game is not enough data to base any decisions on with this staff.

Again I take it as the O blew up and that is a good sign. If the ump was squeezing the zone I can make a hard guess that it was on both sides with a 21 run day combined

My biggest issue going in was Chatwood and Montgomery stablizing the middle innings and felt that was a key issue this season. That bit really needs work right now.

On Darvish PC said that it was a focus issue with Yu. He needs to stay on point.

 

[anotheridiot]

Ump was terrible. No set zone and was all over the place from inning to inning. Hamels struck out two batter looking that werent even borderline pitches. The balls were fully inside the lines of the zone. The ump basically created the whole inning and even squeezed him in the bat to DeShields. ESPN crew really started getting on the ump towards the end of the game. Not one ounce of consistency.

The K zone in game one was off. I am not sure if the line was wrong but there were constantly high strikes a ball under the top line being called balls. The more they talk about speeding up games, the more the plate umpire acts like a linesman in a hockey playoff game.

 

[Diehardfan]

Project much?

You’re actually correct about it being a baseball forum, though. Yet, you constantly seem to draw exception to people voicing their opinions about baseball.

You...like a number of others on this forum do nothing but ***** like a whore in heat. All I did was point out the fact that it's just a game, not a major life experience and no one is forcing you to watch it. But who knows? I know there is at least one goof in here who's life teeters on every game.....maybe you are the same. If so, I'm sorry for you.

Try and have a nice day.......maybe the Cubs will win a game for you tonight.