Originally Posted by Teh One Who Knocks
Consistantly
Useless
By
Summer
Consistantly
Useless
By
Summer
I wanted to be a Monk, but I never got the chants.
DemonGeminiX (02-16-2015), Teh One Who Knocks (02-16-2015)
I still hate Bartman!
I wanted to be a Monk, but I never got the chants.
Pumping the brakes on the 2015 Cubs lovefest
By Matt Snyder | Baseball Writer - CBSSports
The Chicago Cubs are the "in" team right now.
After a 2014 season that saw Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro make the All-Star team as 24 year olds and Jake Arrieta look like a frontline pitcher, the Cubs went out and got Joe Maddon to manage the ballclub.
And then they signed ace Jon Lester, among a bevy of offseason moves, notably adding Miguel Montero and Dexter Fowler to the fray.
Team that with what many -- really, almost every prospect outlet -- consider the best farm system in baseball and we already have some saying this will be the year. Just off the top of my head I can think of a major outlet (Sporting News) and national writer I greatly respect (Scott Miller) who made the prediction the Cubs would win it all. They aren't alone, either.
I would like to respectfully take a step back here. Maybe it's because I'm a lifelong Cubs fan and I have to protect myself. I don't think that's the case, though. I think the realistic outlook is that 2015 is one final growing year before the window of contention flies open -- and stays open for quite a while.
Why? Well, let's do this. Here is a partial list of the questions that need to be answered:
• How will Kris Bryant adapt to the big-league level? When will he even be joining the Cubs?
• Will Miguel Montero's framing pay as much dividend as we've been assuming? Will his offense move closer to pre-2013 levels?
• Was Jake Arrieta's 25-start 2014 season the real thing, or was he a one-hit wonder?
• Is Jason Hammel going to pitch like he did for the Cubs last season or like he has for most of the rest of his career?
• Was Kyle Hendricks' 13-start performance as a rookie the real thing?
• Can Arismendy Alcantara and Javier Baez adapt to big-league pitching, which made them look overmatched last season for the most part?
• Was what we saw in 24 games from Jorge Soler a sign of things to come or will the league quickly adjust?
• Is the back end of the bullpen (Hector Rondon, Neil Ramirez, Jason Motte, Pedro Strop) strong enough to contend?
Obviously, lots of those questions could be answered in the positive. Just to name three, I think Arrieta is legit, I do believe in the bullpen and I'm going to pick Bryant to win the NL Rookie of the Year without even considering anyone else. Also, obviously, every single question doesn't have to be answered in a good way from the Cubs' perspective for a playoff run.
The broader point, though, is that the Cubs still need those questions answered. This overall isn't a "young" or "inexperienced" team, really, but in order to be a heavy hitter, lots of guys who haven't proven themselves for more than parts of a season at the big-league level -- or less -- need to step up in a big way. Take note of the names of several keys to the Cubs' possible success in 2015: Bryant, Soler, Hendricks, Baez and Alcantara, among others. None has more than a half-season of big-league experience.
This isn't to say there aren't veteran leaders. There are in Lester, Montero and David Ross. Rizzo, Fowler, Hammel and Castro have been around plenty, too. I'm simply pointing out there are important questions to be answered by players who we can't be sure can do it for a full season in the bigs.
A playoff run could well happen. I'm not counting it out. There's enough talent. Plus, if the Cubs just sneak into the second NL wild-card spot, it's always possible to get hot and make the World Series. We saw as much last season from a pair of wild cards.
I'm just saying that jumping straight to a World Series championship prediction from a 73-win team seems a bit of an overreaction. I would rather settle down a bit. I'll take mid-80s in wins in 2015 and will then be prepared to start thinking about that elusive World Series in 2016.
RBP (04-04-2015)
A winning season is all that i am hoping for this season from the Cubs but by 2017 I expect a world series visit.
Aka 'The Fist'
I don't think you can buy tickets to the 2017 World Series yet
Boston's Big Papi calls new batter's box rule 'bullshit'
The Associated Press
FORT MYERS, Fla. — David Ortiz has a deliberate routine at the plate.
He sounded prepared to pay for it.
"I might run out of money," Ortiz said during a colorful rant Wednesday about the new pace-of-play rule requiring hitters to keep at least one foot in the batter's box in some instances.
Ortiz said he felt this provision, announced last week, unfairly targeted hitters. One of the more radical alterations discussed, a limit on the number of seconds between pitches, was not implemented.
"I'm not going to change my game," the Boston designated hitter said. "I don't care what they say."
Major League Baseball can dock him, starting May 1, up to $500 per offense. Penalties were limited to warnings and fines, rather than allowing umpires to call strikes.
Another part of the initiative agreed to by MLB and the players' association will be the installation of clocks in stadiums to limit the length of pitching changes and between-innings breaks. Managers, too, are no longer required to leave the dugout to request video reviews.
In his first remarks to reporters since arriving at spring training, Ortiz said he wasn't aware of the batter's box rule.
"So after the pitch, you've got to stay in the box, basically?" he said, incredulously.
Yes, with one foot, unless there has just been a foul ball, wild pitch or other specified reason.
"One foot?" Ortiz said.
Yes, to speed up the game.
Ortiz then used a profanity to describe his reaction to the rule.
"When you come out of the box, you're thinking about what a guy's trying to do," he continued. "This is not like we go to the plate with an empty mind. No, no, no. When you see guys pitch coming out of the box, we're not doing it just for doing it. Our mind is speeding up. I saw one pitch, when I come out, I'm thinking, `What is this guy going to try to do to me next?' I'm not walking around just because there's cameras all over the place and I want my buddies back home to see me and this and that."
Ortiz blamed pitchers for wasting more time than hitters.
"How about the guy on the mound who goes like this for three hours?" he said, shaking his head back and forth to mimic the act of shaking off a sign.
Toronto's R.A. Dickey, one of the faster-working pitchers in the major leagues, said he loved the new rules.
"Bring on the pitch clock. Bring on whatever. I like it, because it makes the hitter feel uncomfortable," the 2012 NL Cy Young Award winner said. "I'm already fast, so it's only going to put more pressure on the hitter that has to get in the box and get ready before his routine. If you've got some guys who have a very deliberate routine -- (Robinson) Cano and Ortiz and others that have a very deliberate routine ... they're going to have to speed up a little bit and that may take just this much out of their game. You know, that could be a enough to get a pop out instead of a home run sometimes. I'm great with it."
Manager John Farrell stressed the importance of letting the new rules play out for a season.
"Anytime a game is played a certain way for as many years as it has, an adjustment is going to have some growing pains associated to it," Farrell said. "But I think as long as everyone is aware of what the attention is and what we're trying to get to, maybe those growing pains become less frustrating."
The 39-year-old Ortiz had an .873 on-base-plus-slugging percentage last season, still a robust number for almost any player in the majors but his second-lowest since joining the Red Sox in 2003. He hit 35 home runs with 104 RBI in 142 games, which is exactly what they've paid him to do.
Ortiz is set to make $16 million in 2015. His contract includes a $10 million club option for 2016 that could escalate to $16 million and become guaranteed, with the same provisions for 2017 based on plate appearances and passing a team physical exam.
As for how much longer he's planning on playing?
"You guys asked the same question to Tom Brady last year," Ortiz said, adding with a smile: "We are like the wine. Remember that."
Brady recently quarterbacked the New England Patriots to a fourth Super Bowl title. That's one more championship ring than Ortiz has received with the Red Sox.
"That's my motivation now," he said.
Ortiz, who is 34 home runs short of 500, wasn't ready to reflect on his legacy yet.
"Once you start thinking about that you're thinking about stopping," he said.
Ortiz acknowledged the need to conserve energy at his age, gaining more fuel from his mind these days than his body. He didn't sound like the end of his career was near, though, with "no date" or "no time" or "no years" to measure his track toward retirement.
"I signed a contract last year that basically tells me as long as you do what you're doing and keep on helping us out, you're going to play," Ortiz said, adding: "I need to have that anger. I need to have that cockiness when I'm playing. I need to be who I am. ... When that goes away, I guess it's time to go away, too."
RBP (04-04-2015)
I have a feeling strikeouts will be up in this coming season.
Warning: The posts of this forum member may contain trigger language which may be considered offensive to some.
Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.
Spring training league play is in full swing.
Warning: The posts of this forum member may contain trigger language which may be considered offensive to some.
Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.
The Cubs' home opener is Sunday night against Saint Louis, then regular season gates break open for the rest of the league on Monday.
Boston @ Philadelphia 3:05pm Monday. Buchholz vs Hamels.
Either the Phillies are gonna rise up and do unexpectedly well, or they're gonna have one of the shittiest seasons in Philly history. I'm betting on the latter.
Last edited by DemonGeminiX; 04-04-2015 at 02:02 PM.
Warning: The posts of this forum member may contain trigger language which may be considered offensive to some.
Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.
Very excited about this year's baseball season. I haven't been enthused in several years.
Although... I bet Wrigley looks like shit tomorrow night.Construction is way behind. No bleachers and a motherfucking Jumbotron. There's now a Jumbotron at Wrigley fucking Field. You cocksuckers. Blasphemy on Easter Sunday!!
You better win now.
I wanted to be a Monk, but I never got the chants.
Yes, a lot of things have to go right. That article is looking for things in the shadows.
I have zero concerns about Bryant, other than the dumbass cry baby shit he pulled this week. But he's a stud and he'll be fine in 2 weeks when they bring him up.
I have a lighter higher expectations than Shady. I'm going in expecting a wild card this year, but I agree that if they aren't damn close to the big show by 2017, I'll kill the goat myself.
I wanted to be a Monk, but I never got the chants.
Doesn't look like the Cubs are getting off on the right foot.
Warning: The posts of this forum member may contain trigger language which may be considered offensive to some.
Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it.
RBP (04-06-2015)
Based on tonight....
Jon Lester = Jay Cutler
Soler can neither hit nor field
No Cubs catcher can make a throw to 2nd, which doesn't matter because no Cubs infielder can catch the fucking throw anyway.
Ugh. Mistake after mistake.
But yay, we have a fucking Jumbotron!
Lastly. ESPN has reinvented the hockey blue line puck tracking debacle with the always on strike box. Fuck you. I am not a moron.
I wanted to be a Monk, but I never got the chants.
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