2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (LOL NO)

[Ar-Pharazon]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

ETA: I have a question for Cubs fans - how do you maintain your enthusiasm for a team that is clearly going nowhere for few seasons? This "rebuilding" business sucks!

I might have asked myself that once the rebuild started--but even at that point they'd made the playoffs (no good result) in back to back years in the recent past. Some teams haven't made the playoffs in decades. Look at the Bluejays.

I think they're now at a point to be competitive fairly regularly at this point.

Agreed. The Cubs had traded away soooo many prospects for so many years, it was gonna take a serious amount of time to rebuild the farm system.

It seems they did it right, with the guys they have in the majors right now plus who is still in the minors.

I'm glad they didn't gut that effort to get a david Price right now, when they are probably one of the favorites to sign him in the off-season.

Realistically, they're ahead of the planned curve now after signing Lester and being above .500 for most of the season.

Hopefully next year they'll have it more together as a team and the offense can be more consistent.

 

[Jedi_Master]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

I don't ever expect my team to be in the playoffs every year - if that were my expectations I would become a Cardinals fan - but I do enjoy when at least there is still a chance come late August/September for them to be in the race.

Despite having a terrible stadium, stingy owners, getting screwed over by the Commisioner's office every time they try to improve their situation, etc. the A's have managed to be competitive for several years.

They will be again, I know, but I think it might be a bit of a wait.

 

[Skywalker]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

Anyone know what time today the trade deadline is? I can't seem to find it online.

 

[Timby]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

Anyone know what time today the trade deadline is? I can't seem to find it online.

4 p.m. Eastern, although trade news will still trickle out until around 5 or 5:30 as paperwork gets filed.

Also, the Cubs have made their big splash of the deadline, acquiring ... Dan Haren.

Um.

Okay.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports the Cubs will send two Double A prospects, pitcher Ivan Pineyro and infielder Elliot Soto to Miami.

Doesn't sound like too bad a deal. Haren should be that 5th starter they need for this year, then they nab Price later.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

The Mets get Yoenis Cespedes from Detroit for two minor leaguers.

 

[Timby]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports the Cubs will send two Double A prospects, pitcher Ivan Pineyro and infielder Elliot Soto to Miami.

Doesn't sound like too bad a deal. Haren should be that 5th starter they need for this year, then they nab Price later.

I guess I don't really see the need for a fifth starter considering that this isn't a contention year. Call up someone like Roach or Pimentel from Iowa and see what they've got. It's not like Pineyro or Soto are worth much, but it just seems so odd to take a flyer on a 34-year-old dude who threatened to retire if he got traded out of southern California last year. It's just such a low-spend, low-return move.

The Mets get Yoenis Cespedes from Detroit for two minor leaguers.

Cespedes over Bruce is a pretty clear indicator that the Mets either couldn't or wouldn't take on future salary obligations.

 

[Jedi_Master]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

Poor Cespedes - he keeps getting traded for less and less...

 

[Skywalker]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

From Ken Rosenthal's Twitter: "#Padres largely standing pat because GM A.J. Preller believes the team can reach the postseason, source says."

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

It's sad to see Hamels and Papelbon go, particularly after Hamels no-hit the Cubs the other day, but I can't blame them. They want to play for contenders, and the Phillies aren't going to be that for a while.

Yeah, they should be cheered (well, Hamels should be) and wished well in the future. But it's good for the Phillies to actually get something to build from an good for them to have a chance to win something.

MLB has either got to remove the warning for hit batsmen or actually enforce it, with no more "judgment" calls. If the umpire issues a warning and someone hit another batter, that pitcher is gone. Regardless of the judgment of the umpire. I'm tired of it, its just one of those boondoggles that makes baseball look stupid.

I disagree, but I'll go further as well. I would remove the concept of warnings entirely. If a hit batsman seems intentional, he should be tossed without a warning. Tossing people, to me, is saying you can't do it. And it doesn't matter to me whether it's the first person hit or not.

Determining intentional or not is all judgement, and with the inconsistency in strike calls I've seen this year, I don't think any of these umps should be making that call.

Not to mention the occasional ump who confronts players. They might make the "intentional" call just because a pitcher was questioning his strike zone.

Refs in every sport have to make that call, though, such as what's a flagrant foul in Basketball (or an intentional foul with a clear path to the basket). Most of the time, the debate isn't controversial in the slightest.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

Isn't a flagrant foul in BB spelled out in writing more or less? And I really don't know, I'm very uninterested in basketball.


Also

The Cubs added another arm to their bullpen on Friday afternoon with the acquisition of Orioles right-hander Tommy Hunter for outfielder Junior Lake

Another not-too-bad move. Lake was very inconsistent and was back and forth between Chicago and Iowa he didn't know where he was.

The Cubs need more pitchers anyway.

 

[Timby]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

From Ken Rosenthal's Twitter: "#Padres largely standing pat because GM A.J. Preller believes the team can reach the postseason, source says."

I guess after that insane offseason of treating the roster like he was playing fantasy baseball, he refuses to admit defeat.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

^Yeah, the Padres aren't going to catch the Giants (or the Dodgers, who are only a half-game ahead of San Francisco in the NL West).

--Sran

 

[Tom Hendricks]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

Poor Cespedes - he keeps getting traded for less and less...

I kept checking and checking but no mention of a bucket of balls in the trade.

On a side note. With all the trades happening, my Apple Watch has been going off like crazy. Ping after ping of trades, like nonstop.

 

[Corran Horn]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

From Ken Rosenthal's Twitter: "#Padres largely standing pat because GM A.J. Preller believes the team can reach the postseason, source says."

I guess after that insane offseason of treating the roster like he was playing fantasy baseball, he refuses to admit defeat.

You'll love this...

One more note: Padres wanted Starlin Castro in the Craig Kimbrel deal. Cubs wouldn't budge.

 

[Timby]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

^Only the Cubs would insist on keeping the worst everyday player in baseball. Good grief!

--Sran

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

Isn't a flagrant foul in BB spelled out in writing more or less?

It's defined as Unnecessary or Excessive Contact. In other words, it's very broad and requires the judgment of the ref.

And I really don't know, I'm very uninterested in basketball.

But the issue is whether officials can be officials and officiate the game or whether they need to take away judgment calls in order to avoid bias from creeping in. If Basketball can do it, why can't Baseball? I think it's an absurd argument that they can't be trusted with a judgment call, particularly when many are clear-cut from the context.

 

[Corran Horn]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

^Only the Cubs would insist on keeping the worst everyday player in baseball. Good grief!

--Sran

He's creeping up on Sandoval (difference of only .1 WAR) and which would you rather have?

(silly question since one look at the contracts will yield the obvious answer)

Castro has 2 RBI tonight. I think he's trolling Timby.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Re: 2015 MLB Season - Can the Cubs FINALLY win the World Series? (No.)

Why the hell does Cespedes keep getting traded, anyway? I mean, I'm glad the Mets have him, but why didn't any of those OTHER teams hold onto him?