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#Post#: 209540--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
DIR By: craig
Date: January 27, 2015, 8:23 pm
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Agree that there's a big difference between slipping in as a
wildcard, around the 10th best team in baseball, as compared to
truly being one of the top 3-4 teams in the game. Different to
slip in as a wildcard, as opposed to being one of the teams
people honestly expect has as good a chance to win the world
series as anybody else, and perhaps better than most of the
other playoff teams.
I think we're kind of contrasting the Cub playoffs teams of
1984, 2003, and 2008, each of which looked like legit serious
powers; versus the 1989, 1998, and 2007 versions, where it was
nice to get in but I didn't really think any of those teams were
on par with the other playoff teams.
I agree that Bryant and/or Soler will need to look like pretty
serious players this year to be in the top handful. And
probably one or two from the Hammel/Hendricks/Wood/Wada crowd
will need to sustain a pretty good year. Not probable. But
possible enough for me to be pretty interested.
#Post#: 209541--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
DIR By: brjones
Date: January 27, 2015, 8:30 pm
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I'll point out that both World Series teams this year slipped in
as the 7th and 8th (tied with two others) best teams in
baseball.
And the team that was 8th (or 9th or 10th, depending on how you
rank the Giants, Pirates, and A's) won the World Series.
#Post#: 209542--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
DIR By: CurtOne
Date: January 27, 2015, 8:39 pm
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A whole third make the playoffs?
#Post#: 209543--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
DIR By: CUBluejays
Date: January 27, 2015, 8:39 pm
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I'd like to point out Soler only played 24 games in the majors.
I'm pretty sure I could look at 24 games for Mike Trout take
away his 4 best games and have a worse OPS than what Soler put
up. I'm optimistic that Soler will do well, but 24 games in the
majors have little to do with it.
If the Cubs just have league average starters to go with Rizzo,
Castro and Fowler the offense will be fine.
#Post#: 209548--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
DIR By: craig
Date: January 27, 2015, 9:07 pm
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The Cubs could have a totally different looking offense this
year. They were really bad in OBP last year, and gave a ton of
the AB's to sub-.300 OBP guys. If Montero can stay healthy, and
if Bryant earns his way up, (likely), and if either La Stella
starts at 2nd or else Alcantara improves a lot, it seems well
possible that we could/should have .300-OBP regulars at all 8
starting positions. That could be a big change. And while that
may seem like a modest standard, the Cubs weren't the only team
playing a lot of sub-.300 guys. The NL OBP average was only
.312, and there were six NL teams with a team OBP of .305 or
worse. The Cubs at .300 weren't even the worst in the league.
Of the five teams with a .320 team OBP, four of them made the
playoffs. (Colorado didn't. The world champion Giants of
course were the NL team who slipped in without a .320 OBP.)
We'll see, but I'm not sure it's unrealistic for the Cubs as a
team to be more .320's than .300 this year, if Montero can stay
healthy. (If it's David Ross four days a week, and whatever
scrub we've recalled from Iowa the other three, catcher could be
a total black hole. That is, unless we keep Castillo....)
#Post#: 209549--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
DIR By: Playtwo
Date: January 27, 2015, 9:12 pm
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I don't expect the Bulls to beat the Warriors tonight.
#Post#: 214109--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
DIR By: brjones
Date: March 19, 2015, 9:45 pm
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Bold prediction: this is the year Dexter Fowler puts it all
together and produces a random 4+ WAR season.
When the Cubs clinch a playoff spot, we'll look back at the
Fowler acquisition as the move that put the Cubs over the top.
The Lester deal will obviously have the biggest impact, but they
were still a little short of being a real contender until they
got Fowler.
#Post#: 214134--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
DIR By: guest61
Date: March 19, 2015, 10:42 pm
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I like Fowler too.
#Post#: 214284--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
DIR By: jacey1
Date: March 20, 2015, 1:11 pm
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My official prediction for wins this season.......83
#Post#: 214292--------------------------------------------------
Re: Predictions
DIR By: Robb
Date: March 20, 2015, 1:30 pm
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I've been pessimistic the last two years but this year I'm
signing up for the koolaid. I say everything comes together
just right and the Cubs win 91 games.
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