[TheLock]

World Series? Short answer, penetrate no.


Can they scrap out the 2nd Wild Card?

Yes.

[M. Buttermaker]

Bunch of cash to be made on Cubs & Astros this season.

[yisman]

No. And I'd offer 25/1 on them.

10 teams I think have a better chance, minimum.

[Carseller4]

[d2bets]

does anybody think Edwin Jackson will pitch out of the bullpen?

No, he won't. 95% chance he won't pitch for the Cubs. Bullpen is pretty stacked, esp from the right side.

[d2bets]

I would really like to see Addison Russell move up to the big leagues and start at second base. His glove is already ready and i think he would be fine in the # 8 spot in the batting order.

Him and Starlin castro would be the best defensive short stop /second base combo in baseball.

Then maybe you can make La Stella your back up and package Javier Baez and Alcantarra in a trade for another starting pitcher or bullpen stud.

Look at a team like the Phillies who won't be doing anything this year maybe they would be willing to part with cliff Lee or Cole Hamels

Russell will get his chance soon enough, but he's not going to skip AAA. He missed a lot of time early last season,s o he's got some time to make up. Outside chance he could be up late season, but more likely 2016. He will be a better fielding SS than Castro so be interesting to see how that shakes out. Cubs are going to let some of these guys shake things out before dealing. Could be active at the deadline if in the hunt, with plenty of chips to wheel and deal with.

[byronbb]

[d2bets]

When you say that... what kind of season are you expecting out of Kris Bryant?

Honestly i expect him to be the next Troy Tulowitski and definitely win rookie of the year.

Name one weak spot on the Cubs roster ... and how can you say starting pitching when you have this many options for the rotation
1. Lester- One of the top 5 big game pitchers in baseball
2. Arrieta- only Clayton Kershaw had a lower ERA in the second half of last year.
3. Hendricks- Filthy change-up
4. Wada- Very crafty lefty... these Japanese pitchers do well in MLB
5.Hammel
6. Doubront- Lefty who has had some success pitching in the AL East
7. E. Jackson- maybe put this guy in the bullpen and allow him to throw harder for a shorter amount of time
8. Wood- former all-star
9. J. McDonald - had a promising start to his career with Pirates
10. J. Turner - Had a rough year last year but has had some success w/Marlins

surely 5 out of those 10 will pitch well enough to win at the MLB level.

replace Wellington Castillo who had the 3rd worst framing metrics and replace with Miguel Monterro who has the best framing metrics in all of baseball. He gets more low pitches called a strike than any other catcher in baseball which will be a huge help to guys like Wada and Hendricks who rely on keeping the ball low.


At the trade deadline you know the Cubs will be buyers.

Bryant is even a more pure power hitter than Tulo. Has a natural HR stroke to all fields. He is going to win multiple MVP's, that's how good he is. Slash .300/.400/1.00/40HR over multiple season, though perhaps a bit short of that first season. My guess first season more like .280/.360/.900.

[broadway6]

how did i miss this dumb thread?

[No coincidences]

No. And I'd offer 25/1 on them.

10 teams I think have a better chance, minimum.

10? Really?

In no particular order, Dodgers, Nats, Tigers, Angels, Red Sox, Giants, Cardinals -- running out of teams. Who else?

[goldengreek]

10? Really?

In no particular order, dodgers, nats, tigers, angels, red sox, giants, cardinals -- running out of teams. Who else?

seatte, kc...oakland is always in the mix, pirates

[goldengreek]

Pretty much everybody in baseball disagrees.

Experts are usually wrong. Who picked San Fran last year...or KC...or Baltimore ?The teams that make the most noise and have the most buzz, especially because of free agent signings usually don't make the playoffs
and the definitely don't start off well the first couple of months of the season.
Look at the Dodgers ( first 2 months ) and Texas last year
The Angels, Washington and Toronto 2 years ago (R.A. Dickey, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle and Jose Reyes. )

Look..Im excited about the cubs future but the have a ton of young guys that will struggle and go through growing pains and slumps
In the long run ( and I believe this year ) Kris Bryant is going to be a stud but Baez, Soler, Alcantara, are still unproven.
They may all have good careers but will struggle with youth , inexperience and will have to adjust when the scouting reports come out on them

Im not sold on the starting pitching either. Arrietta could have another good year or he can be be implode and be like Travis Wood was last year.
Don't forget he was out of baseball for a few years and changed leagues.

Once they know what the have with their young studs and if Addison Russell pans out ( don't expect him on the roster till September )
They need to trade Starlin Castro and another prospect for a # 2 guy in the rotation ( Cole Hamels , James Shields. Mat Latos, Edison Volquez type pitcher

[ByeShea]

I believe baseball minds had this kind of expectations for last year's Cubs too.

ANY TEAM CAN POINT TO ITS UNDEVELOPED TALENT AND TALK BIG.

This is what happens when too much trust is placed in an executive, people believe the bs. Epstein's presence has only contributed to hope, not wins.

[Chi_archie]

I believe baseball minds had this kind of expectations for last year's Cubs too.

ANY TEAM CAN POINT TO ITS UNDEVELOPED TALENT AND TALK BIG.

This is what happens when too much trust is placed in an executive, people believe the bs. Epstein's presence has only contributed to hope, not wins.

no baseball minds did not have these expectations at all last year

[Big Bear]

serious question which left side of the infield do you think will put up better numbers THIS season?

Dodgers
SS -Jimmy Rollins
3B- Juan Uribe

or

Cubs
SS-Starlin Castro
3B-Kris Bryant

[EmpireMaker]

What kind of numbers do you project for Soler, Baez, and Bryant?

Are these guys good for 60 HR's in 2015?

Are we ready to call Arrieta an ace?

Is LHP Wada the next Chen (Orioles)?


What do you guys think about the bullpen?

I am thinking about biting on the 10 to 1 odds i'm seeing at Cantor for the Cubs to win the World Series.

Honestly i think this club can score some runs. My guess is they will be one of those teams with a tremendous Home Record and they will struggle a bit on the road. They have their stopper in Jon Lester and i think the rest of the rotation is underrated.

I see a lot of 3 run dingers coming in that ball park. Coughlan and Fowler should do a good job table setting.

10-1 is a big underlay

[Big Bear]

10-1 is a big underlay

yeah 10 to 1 was at the Palms (Cantor) and Treasure Island

5dimes had them 20 to 1 but i dont trust an online book to pay out $20,000 , perhaps Westgate has 20 to 1

[yisman]

10? Really?

In no particular order, Dodgers, Nats, Tigers, Angels, Red Sox, Giants, Cardinals -- running out of teams. Who else?

Yep

and if anyone wants to bet points, I'm offering 25/1

The Cubs will most likely miss the playoffs this year.

[Big Bear]

Yep

and if anyone wants to bet points, I'm offering 25/1

The Cubs will most likely miss the playoffs this year.

i get the whole Soler and Bryant are not ready angle but sometimes young players are more likely to stay healthy for an entire season and sometimes when players first burst onto the scene they actually have a better year than they do in their 2nd and 3rd year b/c the scouting report is not yet out on them
( Ichiro Suzuki)

Yisman if you had to pick your 3 most likely teams to win this years World Series who would they be?

[Big Bear]

IMO the 3 most obvious are

Nationals 6 to 1- but how often does the favorite going into the season actually win it in baseball? Hardly ever and this team won 96 games last year and got 3 HR's in the NLDS from Bryce Harper and still managed to get eliminated in the first round. They are built for the regular season running a quality arm out there every day but for the most part that roster can't hit elite pitching.

Tigers 12 to 1- Great line-up but injury proned and aging. I like Verlander and Price to have stellar seasons but the problem is that Anibal sanchez and Shane Greene even though they are talented rarely ever work past the 6 inning and that causes the dreaded Tigers bullpen to have to work 3 + innings. I have no confidence in the Tigers bullpen.

Dodgers 8 to 1- Ofcourse Kershaw, Greinke, and Ryu are a good top 3 but i dont know how much production you can expect from McCarthy and Anderson. The Dodgers bullpen is decent but not great.

The Dodgers defense should be a big upgrade but i am not 100% sold on this line-up.

Jimmy Rollins is 36... how good of physical shape is he in? Does he still have it?

Can Carl crawford finally stay off the DL?

The one thing i think you gotta like about the Dodgers is they have big money and will definitely be buyers at the trade deadline. That and i think there is some value at 8 to 1 b/c people's perception is that Kershaw can't win a big game in the playoffs ( something i dont agree with)

[yisman]

SF, STL, WAS, LAD, DET have the rotations to get it done

[ChuckyTheGoat]

http://images.search.yahoo.com/image...rv_adk34_14_38

[Big Bear]

Tigers hopes took a big hit today.

V-Mart about to have knee surgery.

Also reports are that Phillies are willing to trade Cole Hamels to the Cubs but it will require SS Addison Russell i say pull da trigger.

If the Hamels deal does not happen they may grab James Shields if the price drops to the 3 years for 40 million range

[No coincidences]

SF, STL, WAS, LAD, DET have the rotations to get it done

And if the Cubs pick up Shields?

[d2bets]

Tigers hopes took a big hit today.

V-Mart about to have knee surgery.

Also reports are that Phillies are willing to trade Cole Hamels to the Cubs but it will require SS Addison Russell i say pull da trigger.

If the Hamels deal does not happen they may grab James Shields if the price drops to the 3 years for 40 million range

No.

[d2bets]

Tigers hopes took a big hit today.

V-Mart about to have knee surgery.

Also reports are that Phillies are willing to trade Cole Hamels to the Cubs but it will require SS Addison Russell i say pull da trigger.

If the Hamels deal does not happen they may grab James Shields if the price drops to the 3 years for 40 million range

I can't imagine he would be that cheap. That would be a steal. Wasn't he looking for 5/110?

[yisman]

3 years at 40 million? lol

you get a 3 or 4 starter for that in today's MLB

Shields is looking more years and a lot more money per year

And if the Cubs pick up Shields?

then they'd be a more serious contender

as the roster is currently constituted they are not a World Series contender

[imadegen]

now? no.

3 years? yes.

[CTOWNsCAPPIN]

Playoff contender is a reach, World Series contender no way, not even close. They aren't even the best team in their division.

[Chi_archie]

so many people scoff at the world series talk but say maybe to playoffs


this day and age, if you can get in the playoffs..... you ARE a World Series Contender..... its baseball

2014 pitted a 88 win team vs a 89 win team.... both wild cards

[King Mayan]

Nah ni**a

[Big Bear]

I can't imagine he would be that cheap. That would be a steal. Wasn't he looking for 5/110?

5 years at 110 million for Shields?

Not even the Yankees are that stupid.

If Shields doesnt get his act together he is going to end up missing spring training and signing a 1 year contract like Kyle Lohse last year.

If i was a GM i would never give Shields a long term contract. He's got 1 or 2 more years left in him as a border line elite pitcher. His best years may be behind him.

[d2bets]

5 years at 110 million for Shields?

Not even the Yankees are that stupid.

If Shields doesnt get his act together he is going to end up missing spring training and signing a 1 year contract like Kyle Lohse last year.

If i was a GM i would never give Shields a long term contract. He's got 1 or 2 more years left in him as a border line elite pitcher. His best years may be behind him.

You're right his expectations were too high, although the truth is somewhere in between. He will easily get more than 1 anytime, but he won't get 5. He will get at least 3 (unless he prefers a bigger 2) and will probably get 4. So I would say something like either 3/55 or 4/70, or thereabouts. I don't think anyone is giving him 5. Somewhere between 17-19 mil depending on years looks right.

[d2bets]

3 years at 40 million? lol

you get a 3 or 4 starter for that in today's MLB

Shields is looking more years and a lot more money per year



then they'd be a more serious contender

as the roster is currently constituted they are not a World Series contender

Too many unknowns/strong potential to declare that. They could win 75; they could win 90. Only time will tell.

[yisman]

so many people scoff at the world series talk but say maybe to playoffs


this day and age, if you can get in the playoffs..... you ARE a World Series Contender..... its baseball

2014 pitted a 88 win team vs a 89 win team.... both wild cards

I bet they don't make the playoffs.

Too many unknowns/strong potential to declare that. They could win 75; they could win 90. Only time will tell.

Like I said, I'm willing to bet. I offered 25/1, which is pretty generous. No takers.