I don't blame Joe for the team. I think overall he's done a fantastic job as a manager over his entire run. I think his flaws are more evident now that the roster isn't as strong and his mismanagement hurts the team now that we aren't the most talented team. With that said I just think its time for a new voice in the locker room. I'm not sure what he brings to this roster for the next 3-5 years. This isn't a young team naive looking to bond and into zoo animals. Its grown and matured, guys have gotten married the team needs a new type of voice imho. With all that said the roster needs to be churned. I don't belive the core needs to be touched but we can't go another off-season like the last where the bullpen wasn't addressed and what should've been an 8-10 game division lead was a deficit at the break. That more than anything has killed the Cubs.
I feel like we always get killed by the players who should be easy outs. Like pitchers getting clutch hits or guys hitting 7th going 3 for 4. Not just against the Cards just in general.
Maybe that's just baseball, which is random and dumb Rajai Davis and David Ross hit homers in game 7 of the world series.
In order of Cubs issues, Joe is way down the list. Shitty talent evaluation has led to a weak farm system. This is especially true when it comes to pitching. Theo and co. have done a terrible job of evaluating free agents An inability to realize the roster construction is directly responsible for the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the offense and not the coaching. Rolling it back this year expecting things were going to change with better "focus" Not finding a replacement leadoff hitter after Fowler left Completely botching the closer spot It's not that the team has tuned Joe out. They just are what they are at this point and the roster needs to be put together better.
Love that Rizzo came to the plate at the start of the game yesterday to the Undertakers theme. Thats amazing.
Fuck this stupid team. Twice all we had to do was not hit the ball on the ground and back to back double plays with runners in scoring position.
1) I think you're dead wrong on this. The roster is filled with farm/system guys. We were able to supplement this roster with trades because of the system and even though they are ranked low by MLB I think our current system is stacked with legit arms and some pretty impressive bats. Amaya, Davis, Marquez are elite prospects. 2) This is fair. They have struggled in this department. Very few hits, a bunch of whiffs. 3-6) I think they did a poor job of roster management this off-season. Its all in the same boat. But this roster is still talented enough to not be fighting for its life with a few games left. I will say the coaching changes have improved the hitting but its still a flawed approach for much of the lineup.
That's twice that Nico's been thrown out when it seemed like he'd beat-out the throw. That one was a bit more forgiveable, but on the replay he wasn't exactly sprinting out of the box I think we miss David Ross when it comes to stuff like that - keeping guys on their toes
Ross since he left and Zobrist for most of this season have been missed. Losing Martinez as a high energy bench coach also doesn't help. That's a tough one to put on Nico. That was sharply hit.
Probably about where they are. A step below the top teams and indistinguishable from the good but not great teams. It's a pretty flawed roster.
You were going through the heart of their line up in the 6th. If you get them 1-2-3 the next time they might be up would be in the 8th at the earliest but probably the 9th when Kimbrel would be in.
This is my take. I think at worst this is the 4th best roster. I could see a argument for being 3rd. So with that said we are 6th in the NL. The roster is not top tier but no reason why we should be fighting for our playoff lives. Blame on the roster sure. Blame in the dugout as well.
This roster can't be that high based on the simple fact that it doesn't have a closer or reliable bullpen. Don't be fooled by the names. Outside of Baez, Rizzo, Bryant and Contreras, all of which have been hurt this year, the lineup is pretty trash. The starters are old, but above average, and the bullpen is a dumpster fire. What exactly are you basing your glowing evaluation of the roster on?
My bad, didn't realize you only needed 4 really good players to constitute a good roster. Fuck a bullpen and pitching staff. Nevermind the fact that those guys have been hurt.
Did your forget you posted this? What the fuck are you even arguing with me about? Seems as if we're on the same page wrt the lineup.
Lets just get this season over. Go out address the bullpen and pitching staff and get some contact hitters.
You trying to downplay those four guys is just disingenuous. Lets take a look at the nationals but ignore Rondon, Sherzer. Soto and Strasburg. Is that how we have a legit convo? I think not. What's the issue with the starting rotation? Its been really solid all year. Those guys haven't been the problem. Closer has been a problem and blown saves have killed us. The pen isn't dog shit we have some good arms with Kintzler, Cishek, Wick, Ryan. I'm aware of what I posted in the off-season. nearly an entire season has taken place and views change. I think we agree the team is flawed. You seem to think the roster is largely shit and that is where we disagree. Rizzo Bryant Baez Wilson Schwarber Castalanos That's 6 of the 8 position hitters. Who you upgrading over? All those guys are above average MLB players. All those guys are productive. CF. 2B are holes. Like mentioned about I don't think the FO thought Almora would turn to dust and we would lose Zobrist for the season due to personal issues. Add in Russell being a piece of shit and that is in large part of issues with the line up.
Caratini is one of the best back up catchers in baseball. Bote, for his flaws is a very good utility piece. Hayward is a gold glove outfielder who has had a better offensive year. Castellanos has been outstanding since the acquisition and is a well above average bat at his baseline. Schwarber is Schwarber. Etc. The bullpen? Yeah...its telling the only guy I trust right now is Rowan Wick. Starters are old and have performed admirably if you take out the first half of Darvish's season.
FTR, I don't think the roster is shit. I think it's just worse than the sum of it's parts. Too many similar types of hitters, no leadoff hitter, and a bullpen that is unreliable.
I honestly think it’s approach more so than anything else. If we could approach hitting like the dodgers hitters do we would be more consistent.
I dont have a problem with first pitch swings....every now and then, but I do in late game situations when its a one run game. The situational hitting is abysmal.
Maybe so, but I think having guys in the dugout who aren't afraid to crawl inside a player's ass for not doing things the right way is something we've missed since 2016.