The Cubs next year?

[Middle Buffalo]

The thing that bothers me about this is that somehow, some way, the national and Chicago media is looking for ways to make the Sox World Series triumph about the Cubs and their fans' long wait for a championship. They did the same thing after the Red Sox won, too. About thirty seconds after the World Series, some dickhead on tv or radio would say that this must mean that the Cubs are next. Where's the logic?

[gettysburg32]

Logic

 

Cubs

 

dickheads on TV and radio

 

 

 

[mmmmmbeeer]

I wouldn't rule the sCrUBS out of making the series, despite all their deficiencies. The NL, as a whole, is really weak, imo. Especially with STL and HOU getting older, there really isn't a powerhouse team in that league. MIL will be much better, PHI will be a force, and then ATL will be good enough to go somewhere. The NL West is a f***ing joke from top to bottom.

[knightni]

I can see ATL going to the WS in '06.

[RockRaines]

Id put my money on the sox again next year

cubs have a long way to go, but you never know

How many teams that finish 4th one year in their division, come back to win it all the next year?

[SnB]

I can honestly say i don't care one bit about the cubs right now. We won the arm's race.

 

What are they going to do?

win the world series......TOO?

[RockRaines]

I can honestly say i don't care one bit about the cubs right now.  We won the arm's race.

 

What are they going to do?

win the world series......TOO?

I just dont get where this confidence is coming from. I mean, you have an overrated pitching rotation where a grandpa was your best pitcher this year. Your OF is one of the worst hitting, worst fielding I have ever seen. You middle IF is probably one of the worst in the game. Your catcher is known for calling a terrible game. Your bullpen is filled with has beens and never will bes, and your freakin closer is Ryan Dempster? A pretty average pitcher as a whole. I mean, except for maybe 1B and 3B, every player on the sox is better at their position. Any one of our bullpen arms would be the close on the cubs staff. Who is their fifth starter? Glendon Rusch? Pear shaped body, no arm.

 

That team is so bad on paper, how can anyone be confident about winning. Especially when they look even worse on the field. Bad coaching, horrible fundamentals.

[jackie hayes]

where a grandpa was your best pitcher this year

I don't think they start off THAT early in Venezuela.

[White Sox Josh]

Short of the Cubs firing their manager, Adding Rafael Furcal and Brian Giles along with 30 plus starts apiece from their starters and somehow find effective arms in the 6-7-8 innings, its just not going to happen.

and finding real good pitchers. Right now their best pitcher is Greg Maddux. Kerry Wood and Mark Prior are overrated. Zambrano is good buy you never know what you will get with him.

[White Sox Josh]

I don't think they start off THAT early in Venezuela.

he is saying and rightfully so that Greg Maddux is their best pitcher. He really is the only sure thing in that rotation.

[jackie hayes]

he is saying and rightfully so that Greg Maddux is their best pitcher.  He really is the only sure thing in that rotation.

I know what he's saying, but Zambrano > Maddux.

[Kalapse]

and finding real good pitchers.  Right now their best pitcher is Greg Maddux.  Kerry Wood and Mark Prior are overrated.  Zambrano is good buy you never know what you will get with him.

Mark Prior is not overrated. He just has a serious problem with staying healthy, he has unbelievable stuff and if he can ever put it together with a full season he'll win a cy young.

[ZoomSlowik]

he is saying and rightfully so that Greg Maddux is their best pitcher.  He really is the only sure thing in that rotation.

 

There's a big difference between being their most consistent starter and their best starter. Yes, Maddux is their most consistent starter, but at this point in his career he is consistently mediocre. Zambrano is considerably more talented and has still been fairly consistent the last two years. He hasn't had the injury problems that the other guys have had and has put up pretty good numbers. Plus, for all the crap he's taken, Prior was still a pretty good pitcher when he was on the mound this year. He went 11-7, had an ERA of 3.67, and struck out a ton of guys. If he stays healthy, I think he could get back to the 2003 form.

 

However, that doesn't change or negate their other issues. Even with a healthy Prior and Zambrano at the front of the rotation, Maddux looks like a passable #4 at this point in his career, generally keeping you in the game but typically won't win unless he gets decent run support. Kerry Wood is a mess right now. Even if he's healthy, he's not dependable at all. Even a healthy and effective Prior can't take them from 4th to the wildcard. They need to fill at least some of the holes that we've all mentioned.

[knightni]

I thought we were waiting til April 1 for this thread.

[GoodAsGould]

I just dont get where this confidence is coming from.  I mean, you have an overrated pitching rotation where a grandpa was your best pitcher this year.  Your OF is one of the worst hitting, worst fielding I have ever seen.  You middle IF is probably one of the worst in the game.  Your catcher is known for calling a terrible game.  Your bullpen is filled with has beens and never will bes, and your freakin closer is Ryan Dempster?  A pretty average pitcher as a whole.  I mean, except for maybe 1B and 3B, every player on the sox is better at their position.  Any one of our bullpen arms would be the close on the cubs staff.  Who is their fifth starter?  Glendon Rusch?  Pear shaped body, no arm.

 

That team is so bad on paper, how can anyone be confident about winning.  Especially when they look even worse on the field.  Bad coaching, horrible fundamentals.

 

 

If you consider it being Neifi Perez and Todd Walker you would be right.... but it started off being Nomar and Walker.... which is pretty good... both good offensive players neither are really that good defensively but not horrible.

[RockRaines]

If you consider it being Neifi Perez and Todd Walker you would be right.... but it started off being Nomar and Walker.... which is pretty good... both good offensive players neither are really that good defensively but not horrible.

Nomar=FA

 

Walker=butcher defensively.

 

Their team is so terrible. I dont even know where to begin. Some of the worst fundamentals I have seen since, well, the sox in 2003.

[aboz56]

Who gives a s*** about the Cubs?

 

We just won the series.

 

My stance on the Cubs remains the same.

 

f*** THE CUBS AND THEIR s***TY FANS!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

:fthecubs :fthecubs :fthecubs :fthecubs

[Yoda]

The Cubs have a hard time just to get to the World Series. 1945 was the last time they won the pennant!

 

The White Sox have a much better chance of winning it all, again. GREAT time to be a White Sox fan if you ask me.

[Balta1701]

Mark Prior is not overrated. He just has a serious problem with staying healthy, he has unbelievable stuff and if he can ever put it together with a full season he'll win a cy young.

A year ago, I'd have agreed with you.

 

Prior had a decent year last year while healthy, but a big part of me is starting to wonder if he can ever be the pitcher he was in 03 again, before the injuries started breaking him down.

 

He's been real inconsistent since then, even while healthy. I can remember sitting down for one Sunday night game and watching him simply unable to perform against the Cardinals, and this was while supposedly healthy. He just seems to be very inconsistent right now.

 

I dunno, it could be due to the injuries. But I think there's got to be something else going on with him...either he's got injuries that just aren't healing at all, like the Ankle from 04, or something's wrong in his head. He gets hit too hard for as good as his pitches were in 03.

[Balta1701]

Glendon Rusch just inked a 2 year deal with the Cubs.

[GoodAsGould]

Nomar=FA

 

Walker=butcher defensively.

 

Their team is so terrible.  I dont even know where to begin.  Some of the worst fundamentals I have seen since, well, the sox in 2003.

 

Todd Walker is far from a butcher..... he just isnt anything special.... id say maybe a little bit below avg. but not butcher level.... and the point was their middle infield last season and in that case Nomar wasnt a f/a and we dont know who their new SS will be.

[SSH2005]

Todd Walker is far from a butcher..... he just isnt anything special.... id say maybe a little bit below avg. but not butcher level.... and the point was their middle infield last season and in that case Nomar wasnt a f/a and we dont know who their new SS will be.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Walker isn't horrible at second base. He just lacks range and he's horrible at turning double plays.

[SoxFan562004]

Over the last 3 years the Cubs have gone from 1st in their division, to 3rd (including letting the Wild Card slip away while playing teams under .500), and finally 4th this year.

 

It's not only what the Cubs have to do;

-upgrade their entire outfield

-find an everyday SS

-get a deeper starting staff, which includes counting on Prior and Wood who have missed times due to injuries

-better middle relief

 

but what other teams in the division are going to do or have already done;

-Milwaukee finished better than the Cubs, and their younger players got some experience and new ownership is expected to add payroll and Sheets could possibly be healthy the whole year.

-Pittsburgh has young players that could be better

-Cin, well I think that still is going to be a suck-fest next year, their starting pitching is an absolute joke

-Astros, Clemens is a key, if he comes back, and healthy, they'll be tough again, especially if they add only a slightly above average bat to the middle of that line-up

-Cardinals, they get Rolen back healthy, but still need another OF. Could also be effected by move to new ballpark.

 

But I agree with the other posts here that say you never know... if Prior and Zambrano can stay healthy (Not worried about Z, he seems to be one of those pitchers who are just machines) and they get a suprise contribution from a young pitcher or two, they have a very good rotation.

 

However, I really like what Milwaukee is doing, they need some SP help, but if they can get some servicable arms they can be a real sleeper team next year... I think a crucial move for them will be what they do with Overbay and Fielder, If their GM can spin Overbay into a quality player to fill a need it would be a huge help.

[Z38]

Hey guys I'm (obviously) a Cubs fan, but I"m not an asshole or anything. I'm just here to talk baseball.

 

Kerry Wood is a mess right now. Even if he's healthy, he's not dependable at all.

I don't think Wood has been healthy since the time he went down in the beginning of '04. He was awesome in '03 and the beginning of '04. Now that he's gotten surgery, maybe he will be back to form in '06... maybe not who know's

 

He's been real inconsistent since then, even while healthy. I can remember sitting down for one Sunday night game and watching him simply unable to perform against the Cardinals, and this was while supposedly healthy.

 

He couldn't locate in the first inning and gave up 3 solo home runs. He then pitched 5 innings of 2 hit ball in that game. 6IP/3ER still a quality start. (I agree he's got problmes though, he throws to many pitches he should be attacking the zone more)

 

-----------------

 

Now for me personally to even consider the Cubs a playoff team these things need to be done

 

A) A right fielder with some pop, and good OBP - ideally Giles

B) Shortstop - ideally Furcal

C) A middle reliever - ideally a lights out one

D) Maybe another starter

 

Murton is perfectly fine in left, Patterson won't repeat his '05 numbers but he's not going to be an all-star or anything the Cubs can be succesfull with him in Center, a replacement would be alright too. The thing the Cubs need most is HEALTH and CONSISTENCY.

 

I don't think the Cubs will make the playoffs in '06.

[knightni]

I'm sorry, but you are dreaming if you think that Patterson will ever snap out of his mediocrity.