2024 Cubs

[Butcher]

I'm kind of done with Boog. He does nothing for me.

[rok]

Also not a fan, and have a feeling his schtick will not age well either.


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[1060Ivy]

Cubs rank 7th best positioned to make 2024 playoffs out of the 18 teams that didn’t make the 2023 playoffs by Jim Bowden in the Athletic. Padres ranked 1st followed by the Reds. Cardinals ranked 10th and Pirates 12th

Here’s Jim’s wrote up on Cubs

“The Cubs were in the pennant race until the final weekend of the regular season, thanks to the front-runner for NL Comeback Player of the Year, Cody Bellinger, team leader Dansby Swanson and Cy Young candidate Justin Steele. Manager David Ross did an excellent job of navigating the bullpen, and right fielder Seiya Suzuki lived up to his $85 million contract with a strong second half. The Cubs will have difficult free-agent decisions to make as Bellinger, Marcus Stroman and Jeimer Candelario are all expected to hit the market. They have a strong defensive team and are well-positioned to contend again in 2024, but must be prepared to spend this offseason.”

https://theathletic.com/4937185/2023/10/...ings-2024/

[Butcher]

I read that article and my primary takeaway is that Bowden didn't watch many baseball games in 2023.

[1060Ivy]

Would guess that Bowden didn’t watch many games played by teams which didn’t make the playoffs outside of Mets, Padres, Yankees, Cardinals - basically teams that were not expected to be competitive.

[funkster]

Sucks we're losing Breslow, but that's what happens to good execs. I dont see any reason why Kantrovitz would leave, the position doesnt seem much different from his current one. Cubs should be trying to entice him to stay.

[Butcher]

Red Sox are a perfect fit for Breslow. I'm not surprised.

I'm having a hard time getting too excited about the future of this team -- I know a lot of folks think that 2023 was the start of something big, but I'm not seeing it. That said, I don't follow the minor league guys all that closely until they start getting major hype so I'm not entirely sure whats in the pipeline. Crow-Armstrong sure looks like he's still at least a year away though. He can't hit a major league fastball to save his life -- I hope that's something that can be fixed.

[rok]

Probably not. I just hope he doesn’t become another Albert Almora. I’m pretty lukewarm on this team’s future as well, but the minors are clearly improved. Just don’t see them spending beyond the CBT threshold like they should to entice a superstar or two, which is sorely needed to take that next step in competitiveness.


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[funkster]

Kantrovitz staying. Once again all the freaking out by cubsverse was for nothing.


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[rok]

Just make him assistant GM already.


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[Butcher]

Pretty surprised Stroman opted out.

[rok]

I honestly wonder if there was more to his Ill-timed mystery rib cage injury, and both sides were just ready to move on. I’m not sad about it.


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[funkster]

Odd, but leaves more money to play with.


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[rok]

I mean, picking up both the Hendricks and Gomes options for $22.5M total basically equals the cash that Stroman left on the table, so if it was an either/or calculation for the FO it was a no brainer.

Not sure what Stro's thought process was, but seemed clear both sides were ready to move on.


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[funkster]

Holy fuck balls we just hired Craig Counsell. I’m floored.


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