The Cubs are amazing

[Angelsjunky]

in my many years of following baseball I don't think I've ever seen a lineup as stacked with young talent. Consider:

 

1B Anthony Rizzo (25): .278/.387/.512, 5.5 fWAR in 701 PA

2B Addison Russell (21): .242/.307/.389, 2.9 fWAR in 523 PA

SS Starlin Castro (25): .265/.296/.375, 0.8 fWAR in 578 PA

3B Kris Bryant (23): .275/.369/.488, 6.5 fWAR in 650 PA

RF Jorge Soler (23): .262/.324/.399, 0.1 fWAR in 404 PA

C/OF Kyle Schwarber (23): .246/.355/.487, 1.9 fWAR in 273 PA

IF Javier Baez (22): .289/.325/.408, 0.5 fWAR in 80 PA

 

That's SEVEN players who are age 25 and younger who are already league average or better, a couple of whom (Rizzo, Bryant) are already stars, and a few of whom look like stars-to-e (Russell, Soler, Schwarber, maybe Baez).

 

Anyhow, if I'm the Cubs I trade the overrated Castro, slot Baez in there, and you've got a core lineup that will last you a half decade or more. The Cubs are a powerhouse.

[Docwaukee]

They are a fun team for sure.  

 

Not sold on Baez.  The swing and miss thing is gonna be an issue for him.  

 

We used to buy cheap ticks, sit at wrigley and study while the game was going on in the background.  It was quiet enough.  

[UndertheHalo]

well, they were shit for a while.  Good job on not taking 20 years to figure it out ala Pirates and Royals....I guess.

[Angelsjunky]

I realize Baez is questionable. But he could still be a .250/.300/.450 type with solid defense, and thus an above average regular.

 

Anyhow, what a great time to be a Cubs fan. Rizzo, Bryant, Schwarber, Russell and maybe Soler look like bonafide present or future stars.

 

I know it is a long shot, but I'd love to see the Angel put together a healthy package of pitching prospects for Schwarber to be their left fielder. It won't happen, especially because it would require Newcomb as the center piece, but it kind of makes sense for both clubs.

[Adam]

umm I said that a week ago. Schwarber will be a top three hitter in baseball inside 2 years. I'd trade Newcomb and Heaney for him if we could buy Price and Zimmerman

[Homebrewer]

I've been extolling their virtues here for most of the season. All that individual talent got pulled together and formed into a team by Joe Maddon and his staff. He's done one hell of a job there, and will win his 3rd MOY this season, while taking this group deep into the post season, at least a year before even the most ardent Cubs fans really expected it.

It's just, as you say, amazing.

[ettin]

They are a fun team for sure.

Not sold on Baez. The swing and miss thing is gonna be an issue for him.

We used to buy cheap ticks, sit at wrigley and study while the game was going on in the background. It was quiet enough.

So are you telling us Doc that if you starred in your own comedy show it'd be called "Scubs"?

[ScottT]

The Cubs young position players and the mets young pitchers are impressive. Hope they match up in the NLCS

[Chimi]

Imagine if they win the World Series. Where would that cement Theo Epstein in baseball history? He took two franchises who haven't won anything in 80+ years and turned both into champions.

[Homebrewer]

It would make Theo a baseball legend. Connie Mack, Bill Veeck, Theo Epstien.

And Joe Maddon?

Joe already cant buy a drink or a meal in Chicago. He brings a WS to The Windy, and he will never pay for anything ever again.

[Inside Pitch]

Imagine if they win the World Series. Where would that cement Theo Epstein in baseball history? He took two franchises who haven't won anything in 80+ years and turned both into champions.

 

He's going to Cooperstown already for his work in Boston.   If the Cubs win it all they will be making room for him at Mount Olympus.

[Inside Pitch]

It would make Theo a baseball legend. Connie Mack, Bill Veeck, Theo Epstien.

And Joe Maddon?

Joe already cant buy a drink or a meal in Chicago. He brings a WS to The Windy, and he will never pay for anything ever again.

 

Quotable Mike Scioscia is certainly in the right place at the right time.   Nobody ever doubted his smarts.

[Homebrewer]

I love Chicago, it's a world class city with pretty much everything to offer, except good weather.

Being KING there is a pretty sweet fate.

[Inside Pitch]

I love Chicago, it's a world class city with pretty much everything to offer, except good weather.

Being KING there is a pretty sweet fate.

 

Yeah -- getting free steaks in Chicago is no joke...

[Homebrewer]

Any kind of food in The Windy, really.

Even the freaking hot dogs are the best in the world.

Italian beef sandwiches, Carib and S.A. food, Middle East, Asian...good old "American Comfort" food.. 

Is it lunch time yet?

 

Edit: German Food!

Edited October 15, 2015 by Homebrewer

[Chuck]

They are a fun team for sure.  

 

Not sold on Baez.  The swing and miss thing is gonna be an issue for him.  

 

We used to buy cheap ticks, sit at wrigley and study while the game was going on in the background.  It was quiet enough.  

 

The swing and miss thing is a problem for the Cubs entire lineup. 

[Chuck]

umm I said that a week ago. Schwarber will be a top three hitter in baseball inside 2 years. I'd trade Newcomb and Heaney for him if we could buy Price and Zimmerman

 

I'm not completely sold on this guy yet. Swings and misses too much and he's fat. He can't seem to hit lefties either, so you know he'd platoon here with the Angels. 

 

The most I'd do is Newcomb only because we need a power bat. 

[Chuck]

The Cubs young position players and the mets young pitchers are impressive. Hope they match up in the NLCS

 

 

Yeah, the Mets have a sick young rotation. 

[bloodbrother]

Cubs are set for quite some time. Gonna get a ton of offensive production for the price of peanuts and can use the payroll for a big SP or 2 to fill out the rotation that already has Arrieta and Lester. Wouldn't be shocked if they signed one of the big fish SP FA's this offseason

[Homebrewer]

Yeah, the Mets have a sick young rotation.

 

 

I just wish I could grow hair like those guys

[Homebrewer]

With the offense and defense they have, and will have for a long time... I'd say they will be front runners to lure whatever FA pitcher they want. They certainly have the money to do whatever they want to.

Not sure I'm sold on Price, though..

[seenoevil]

I'm a Steve Bartman fan, go cubs!

[Lou]

Not all of those guys will be great players in 4 years. Next year we'll see one of them have a bad season.

But it does help having drafted 3 players in the top 9 (2,4,9) and trading for another who was the 11th player picked

[ten ocho recon scout]

Definitely geeked on this team. Like AJ pointed out, the core of that team is insane, especially in this era.

Im sure most (if not all) are like me, not a cubs "fan", but you pull for them. Loveable losers for so long and all. Growing up i saw probably 3 times as many cubs games as angels games. Summer vacation was a guarantee to catch at least a few a week on tbs (while local games were hit or miss on the local channels.

I hope the dodgers get bounced because i hate them, but also because theyre the only usual suspect. Its shaping up to be a cool october, with a bunch of new blood. No real bad guy (except the dodgers), and the other teams arent hateable yet, to me at least.

Get rid of the dodgers and you can pull names out of a hat for the matchups and ill watch.

[Angel Oracle]

The Mets once had a similar young staff of potential standout starters in the mid/late 1990s, highly touted, and then most of them got hurt and weren't the same.

Jason Isringhausen, Bill Pulsipher, and Paul Wilson were the three most touted of that group.

Only Isringhausen ever did anything, and that was mostly in relief.

 

At least this group of Mets' starters (DeGrom, Harvey, Syndergaard, and Matz) has made it through this season pretty much intact.