2021 Team

[funkster]

I just dont get it. Is it the drafting or the development infrastructure?  I feel like both were supposed to end up on the cutting edge once Theo and Jed took over.  Going to have to follow the minors closely this year.

[Butcher]

I just dont get it. Is it the drafting or the development infrastructure?  I feel like both were supposed to end up on the cutting edge once Theo and Jed took over.  Going to have to follow the minors closely this year.

 

It's really weird. We were supposed to end up with a system similar to what the Dodgers are doing, but it seems like it all fell apart. No idea how to explain it. A couple of bad trades, some bad luck, and a few players not improving the way we hoped they would, I guess? Add in some surprisingly steep declines and some unfortunate injuries, and here we are.

[1060Ivy]

Dodgers continued to sign free agents and make trades to acquire high end talent while Cubs abruptly ceased spending to supplement prospects



Yes, Theo over paid in trades but Cubs didnt use financial muscle to ensure holes in development were covered e.g. lead off man/center field.

[MrSheps]

The Cubs have been brutal to watch. Every game is the same. One of the three stars will hit a solo shot early.  Then the same guy, particularly if it's Javy, will proceed to look lost at the plate in all future at bats. Meanwhile the Pirates or Brewers will string together hits and walks and take the lead.  Repeat. 

 

I get why Nico is down in the minors and I don't believe things would be different if he wasn't, Joc has shown that spring training numbers are just that. But my lord does this team need guys who can make consistent (hard-ish) contact and put the ball in play. The "broken part of the lineup seems to be less about down years from Rizzo, Bryant, Javy and more about a lack of the players like Zobrist and Fowler and even a Russell in 2016. That 2016 team had 7 guys with over 100 hits, the 2019 team had 5. What killed the Cubs seems to me to be Russell imploding, Zobrist not playing, Fowler leaving, and just the loss of that type of player who may not have a ton of power but will put up 100+ hits. And yes, Fowler sucked in STL, Zobrist was aging, etc., but I feel like all the focus on Baez/Rizzo/Bryant and what they've done each season seems less important than who was around them and the philosophy of a team that goes from hitting a Fowler type at lead off to Kyle Schwarber. Because the two are so connected. Guys tend to have better at bats with runners on base. The last time I felt like the offense was humming was when Castellanos came in.  And yeah he had power at Wrigley, but dude was a doubles machine who put up around 180 hits in 2018 and 2019, it wasn't just HR or bust. 

 

Anyway, it's early, and the record should/could be much worse.  I just wish the games weren't so awful to watch, even if they lose. I'm already just so sick of seeing the Ks and the occasional solo HR.

[BigBoy]

The Cubs have been brutal to watch. Every game is the same. One of the three stars will hit a solo shot early.  Then the same guy, particularly if it's Javy, will proceed to look lost at the plate in all future at bats. Meanwhile the Pirates or Brewers will string together hits and walks and take the lead.  Repeat. 

 

I get why Nico is down in the minors and I don't believe things would be different if he wasn't, Joc has shown that spring training numbers are just that. But my lord does this team need guys who can make consistent (hard-ish) contact and put the ball in play. The "broken part of the lineup seems to be less about down years from Rizzo, Bryant, Javy and more about a lack of the players like Zobrist and Fowler and even a Russell in 2016. That 2016 team had 7 guys with over 100 hits, the 2019 team had 5. What killed the Cubs seems to me to be Russell imploding, Zobrist not playing, Fowler leaving, and just the loss of that type of player who may not have a ton of power but will put up 100+ hits. And yes, Fowler sucked in STL, Zobrist was aging, etc., but I feel like all the focus on Baez/Rizzo/Bryant and what they've done each season seems less important than who was around them and the philosophy of a team that goes from hitting a Fowler type at lead off to Kyle Schwarber. Because the two are so connected. Guys tend to have better at bats with runners on base. The last time I felt like the offense was humming was when Castellanos came in.  And yeah he had power at Wrigley, but dude was a doubles machine who put up around 180 hits in 2018 and 2019, it wasn't just HR or bust. 

 

Anyway, it's early, and the record should/could be much worse.  I just wish the games weren't so awful to watch, even if they lose. I'm already just so sick of seeing the Ks and the occasional solo HR.

This, 100%

[BigBoy]

Dodgers continued to sign free agents and make trades to acquire high end talent while Cubs abruptly ceased spending to supplement prospects



Yes, Theo over paid in trades but Cubs didnt use financial muscle to ensure holes in development were covered e.g. lead off man/center field.

Yep, leadoff spot was never corrected, mix in the fact our front office didnt adapt. They stuck to their stubborn ways, even if some of that was dictated by ownership.

[Butcher]

The Cubs have been brutal to watch. Every game is the same. One of the three stars will hit a solo shot early.  Then the same guy, particularly if it's Javy, will proceed to look lost at the plate in all future at bats. Meanwhile the Pirates or Brewers will string together hits and walks and take the lead.  Repeat. 

 

I get why Nico is down in the minors and I don't believe things would be different if he wasn't, Joc has shown that spring training numbers are just that. But my lord does this team need guys who can make consistent (hard-ish) contact and put the ball in play. The "broken part of the lineup seems to be less about down years from Rizzo, Bryant, Javy and more about a lack of the players like Zobrist and Fowler and even a Russell in 2016. That 2016 team had 7 guys with over 100 hits, the 2019 team had 5. What killed the Cubs seems to me to be Russell imploding, Zobrist not playing, Fowler leaving, and just the loss of that type of player who may not have a ton of power but will put up 100+ hits. And yes, Fowler sucked in STL, Zobrist was aging, etc., but I feel like all the focus on Baez/Rizzo/Bryant and what they've done each season seems less important than who was around them and the philosophy of a team that goes from hitting a Fowler type at lead off to Kyle Schwarber. Because the two are so connected. Guys tend to have better at bats with runners on base. The last time I felt like the offense was humming was when Castellanos came in.  And yeah he had power at Wrigley, but dude was a doubles machine who put up around 180 hits in 2018 and 2019, it wasn't just HR or bust. 

 

Anyway, it's early, and the record should/could be much worse.  I just wish the games weren't so awful to watch, even if they lose. I'm already just so sick of seeing the Ks and the occasional solo HR.

 

You make a lot of really good points here.

[rok]

I feel like the offense still struggled even after the Castellanos trade. He basically carried the team for a few weeks and then the offense broke just like the 2 prior seasons. And I don't expect things to improve much in the drafting/development department unless we bring in a GM under Hoyer to truly bring a fresh perspective to the organization. I hope Kantrovitz makes an impact soon, but I worry about all the brain drain that occurred after the scouting purge last year. Despite all the investments in pitching and hitting labs, it sure feels like a hollowed out organization now, similar to what Theo/Jed inherited in 2011. Very bizarre how it's come full circle.

[1060Ivy]

Offense struggled prior to Castellanos and since his departure. It doesn’t appear that Pederson is the contact guy the Cubs needed to provide more cohesion for this squad. Yeah, it’s early in the season but the offense has been consistently lacking since 2016



Other than Sogard, does anyone know which roster members are against vaccinations? Just provides another reason to dislike this squad. Someone in the PR dept needs to get ahead of the story as it’s pretty damn sad when the Cardinals appear more in touch with science than the Cubs

[rok]

So, our guys keep getting beaned and are the only ones to be fined and suspended. Seems fair.



https://twitter.com/M_Montemurro/status/...6207604744

[1060Ivy]

Glad that Rizzo understands reality, Ive been on bad teams before ....



Its been not fun to watch.

[jstraw]

Rizzo said that?

[1060Ivy]

Rizzo said that?

Was quote from story in Chicago Tribune





Heres the article in SunTimes which Rizzo states that team is hard to watch





https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2021/4...-field-mlb

[jstraw]

So he didn't call this a bad team. Cleared that up...

[rok]

Hendricks should have stayed on the IL.