The Curse of the Bambino was a mere head cold !!
- Thread starter eireog
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Personally, I don't believe in such nonsense as a curse. The Cub fans can worry about this.
My early concern with the Sox is all the runs they are giving up. Yes they are 3-2 and we have a long, long way to go, but it's a good thing they have been able to score in the games they have won.
Going to the game this afternoon to see Sale throw.
My early concern with the Sox is all the runs they are giving up. Yes they are 3-2 and we have a long, long way to go, but it's a good thing they have been able to score in the games they have won.
Going to the game this afternoon to see Sale throw.
I don't believe in the curse either. With all the talk of goats, black cats, Leon Durham's wet glove, Bartman's interference on a foul ball and now this there seem to be many that do.
As a Sox fan Schwarber was the only Cub I enjoyed to watch play. This will really effect the Cubs. You cannot lose left handed power hitting in your lineup with a game dominated by right handed pitchers. Too bad for the Cubs on this one. This was the one guy you cannot replace.
Solar will now get more at bats but losing a left handed power hitter can cost the Cubs a trip to the World Series.
Wassup
Solar will now get more at bats but losing a left handed power hitter can cost the Cubs a trip to the World Series.
Wassup
Said from day 1 that he's bound to become an American league player. Can play OF/1B/DH and have a very long career in the AL.
*Warning* long post.
Good game yesterday at the Cell. Sat 10 rows behind the Sox dugout. I realize this is only one game but here is my take.
Sale threw well. Had a little trouble locating in the first inning and I think he threw 25 pitches in that inning. But settled down very well. Made a couple of mistakes, but the over all performance was good. Last year he would have lost a game like this. Not this year however.
Austin Jackson - Good speed in center. I would like to see him hit the ball on the ground more. I believe he flew out 4 times yesterday. Had a fly ball swing yesterday. Not gonna work with that wind and his power or lack of.
Jimmy Rollins - Struggling at the plate but a true professional. Range at short has diminished but he is still very solid there. Hopefully he picks it up at the plate.
Jose Abreu - Absolute friggin' stud. The home run he hit was a no doubter the instant it left the bat. Hardest ball hit all day. Hit the ball hard all day with those two BBs. Wait till it warms up. This guy will win or challenge for an MVP more than once.
Todd Frazier - Really struggling at the plate. Didn't look balanced or comfortable at all. Didn't square anything up yesterday. In the field I thought he got a bad jump on 2 or 3 balls hit toward him. In fairness, he could be getting used to the background he is looking into at the Cell. But he did make a nice diving play on a ball to his left and got up to throw Uribe out at first. Time will tell.
Melky Cabrera - Got a hit that drove in a big run yesterday. I hope he gets off to a good start this year. Don't care much for his defense but he isn't a big liability out there either. If he hits, he can make a difference in the 5 hole.
Brett Lawrie - Struggling at the dish too, but I like him. I think he is a solid second baseman. Don't think I like him hitting sixth, however. But if he is able to produce numbers similar to, or a little better than 2015, fine.
Avisail Garcia - Struggled before yesterday. I think he struck out in his first AB, but had a couple of hits after that including the biggest hit of the day with the 3-run shot. That ball was ripped the other way, proving the guy has good power. Another guy who will make a difference IF he hits. He has to as the DH of course.
Alex Avila - Solid behind the plate. Another guy I really like. Had a couple of Ks and looked bad on one. But we all know the potential is there. Did a good job blocking pitches.
J. B. Shuck - Nothing that made me say "wow." Just haven't seen enough to comment. To me, this guy has to produce this year or he may be out of baseball in a few years, maybe less.
Matt Albers - Threw very well. He was always around the plate and got ahead of hitters. Three Ks and no BBs in two innings pitched works for me. The last out was a called strike three. HOPEFULLY, this continues. The back end of the rotation is the key.
Zach Duke - Faced one guy, gave up a hit and was removed. Albers stopped the threat. Didn't see enough to comment.
Very early in the season and it is nice to see this team hit with 7 guys getting at least one. I didn't think there would be that many runs but it was warmer with the sun out. I never felt cold at all, so I am sure the players were fine. There were a few balls that would have left the yard if not for the wind too.
Based on what I saw yesterday, which wasn't the best day weather-wise you'll see, this team definitely has potential. But we have to wait till they have played 50 or more games to see where they really are. I am just happy with the good start though.
Good game yesterday at the Cell. Sat 10 rows behind the Sox dugout. I realize this is only one game but here is my take.
Sale threw well. Had a little trouble locating in the first inning and I think he threw 25 pitches in that inning. But settled down very well. Made a couple of mistakes, but the over all performance was good. Last year he would have lost a game like this. Not this year however.
Austin Jackson - Good speed in center. I would like to see him hit the ball on the ground more. I believe he flew out 4 times yesterday. Had a fly ball swing yesterday. Not gonna work with that wind and his power or lack of.
Jimmy Rollins - Struggling at the plate but a true professional. Range at short has diminished but he is still very solid there. Hopefully he picks it up at the plate.
Jose Abreu - Absolute friggin' stud. The home run he hit was a no doubter the instant it left the bat. Hardest ball hit all day. Hit the ball hard all day with those two BBs. Wait till it warms up. This guy will win or challenge for an MVP more than once.
Todd Frazier - Really struggling at the plate. Didn't look balanced or comfortable at all. Didn't square anything up yesterday. In the field I thought he got a bad jump on 2 or 3 balls hit toward him. In fairness, he could be getting used to the background he is looking into at the Cell. But he did make a nice diving play on a ball to his left and got up to throw Uribe out at first. Time will tell.
Melky Cabrera - Got a hit that drove in a big run yesterday. I hope he gets off to a good start this year. Don't care much for his defense but he isn't a big liability out there either. If he hits, he can make a difference in the 5 hole.
Brett Lawrie - Struggling at the dish too, but I like him. I think he is a solid second baseman. Don't think I like him hitting sixth, however. But if he is able to produce numbers similar to, or a little better than 2015, fine.
Avisail Garcia - Struggled before yesterday. I think he struck out in his first AB, but had a couple of hits after that including the biggest hit of the day with the 3-run shot. That ball was ripped the other way, proving the guy has good power. Another guy who will make a difference IF he hits. He has to as the DH of course.
Alex Avila - Solid behind the plate. Another guy I really like. Had a couple of Ks and looked bad on one. But we all know the potential is there. Did a good job blocking pitches.
J. B. Shuck - Nothing that made me say "wow." Just haven't seen enough to comment. To me, this guy has to produce this year or he may be out of baseball in a few years, maybe less.
Matt Albers - Threw very well. He was always around the plate and got ahead of hitters. Three Ks and no BBs in two innings pitched works for me. The last out was a called strike three. HOPEFULLY, this continues. The back end of the rotation is the key.
Zach Duke - Faced one guy, gave up a hit and was removed. Albers stopped the threat. Didn't see enough to comment.
Very early in the season and it is nice to see this team hit with 7 guys getting at least one. I didn't think there would be that many runs but it was warmer with the sun out. I never felt cold at all, so I am sure the players were fine. There were a few balls that would have left the yard if not for the wind too.
Based on what I saw yesterday, which wasn't the best day weather-wise you'll see, this team definitely has potential. But we have to wait till they have played 50 or more games to see where they really are. I am just happy with the good start though.
He can stay in the NL. The DH is coming
Actually he can stay in the NL. The DH is coming there very soon, as well.
To get back to the original thought of this thread. We all know that the toughest part of the injury is wondering what the player is going to be like when he returns. This was a very serious injury.
I remember very well, early in the 1992 season when Tim Raines came sliding in on a pop fly as Ozzie Guillen went out. Guillen suffered a severe knee injury on the play and was never the same player after that.
If you look at it, Guillen had played 7 seasons before that and averaged playing in about 155 games per season. After the injury he averaged only 129 games in the next five full seasons. He was only 33 when he played his last full MLB season.
He was averaging about 144 hits a season before the injury and probably would have ended up with around 2500 to 2600 hits if he had been healthy and played till about 38 with that 144 hit average. As it turned out he ended up with 1764 hits.
There is no doubt that injury changed his career. He still had a good career. But the injury also ended his career prematurely.
I know medicine has advanced but a bad knee is still a bad knee.
I remember very well, early in the 1992 season when Tim Raines came sliding in on a pop fly as Ozzie Guillen went out. Guillen suffered a severe knee injury on the play and was never the same player after that.
If you look at it, Guillen had played 7 seasons before that and averaged playing in about 155 games per season. After the injury he averaged only 129 games in the next five full seasons. He was only 33 when he played his last full MLB season.
He was averaging about 144 hits a season before the injury and probably would have ended up with around 2500 to 2600 hits if he had been healthy and played till about 38 with that 144 hit average. As it turned out he ended up with 1764 hits.
There is no doubt that injury changed his career. He still had a good career. But the injury also ended his career prematurely.
I know medicine has advanced but a bad knee is still a bad knee.
I see this affecting them more vs AL teams during interleague or God forbid the WS with the DH. Sox I am loving their starting pitching in the future w Sale, Quintana, Rodon and Fulmer next year will be a potent 1-4 and Andersen will be ready at Short. Will have a ton of money for FA with Laroche and Danks off the books.
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Totally agree with it being the left knee.
As for Flowers I told my son a few years ago that Flowers would never be a good every day catcher because he wouldn't hit. It was one thing to have Karkovice back there without a very potent bat, but Flowers is NO Karkovice defensively.
One guy I couldn't understand the wasted 1st round draft pick on was Brian Anderson. I saw that guy play one time and knew he would never be a good player. I don't know what the hell scouts look at sometimes. Even Hawk said he liked his defense. So, I watched him play and what I saw was a center fielder who didn't take charge on fly balls in the gaps and a pathetic hitter.
I remember back in 2006 I said he would be out of baseball in three years...and he was.
That is my prediction for Shuck.
The loss hurts but they are deep and versatile. The can absorb this loss but it thins out the depth a little. Baez will be back soon, Baez/Bryant/Zobrist/Soler/ect can all play LF.
I think they can too. I haven't watched the Cubs yet but they are obviously off to an outstanding start. The whipped the asses of Cincinnati who came in at 5-1 and were playing good ball. Long, long way to go but, at this time, they have to be the odds on favorite to win it all this year.
Odds on favorite means very little in baseball. MLB playoffs are a crap shoot. That is why consistently getting in the playoffs is so important a la STL. With that said the Cubs have very few flaws.
Team with best record rarely wins in the expanded MLB playoff format. Only 4 of 21 times since 95 wild card participants.
I know what you guys are saying so let's do this. Pick a team to win it all. I will pick one and you pick one. Every year before the season starts many people pick the WS winning teams for that year.
My pick for 2016 is the Cubs. You guys can pick the Cubs too or there are 29 other teams out there.
OK fine. Nevermind the odds or what team finishes the season with the most wins. Just make a pick.
My pick for 2016 is the Cubs. You guys can pick the Cubs too or there are 29 other teams out there.
OK fine. Nevermind the odds or what team finishes the season with the most wins. Just make a pick.
I predicted at the beginning of the year the Cubs would go 104-52 but they are currently on pace to win 128 games. So I am way off so far.
Also predicted the White Sox to finish in last place. They are in 1st place. I knew Danks would be a problem.They should have gotten rid of him 4-5 years ago. Still think they are suspect with their 4th and 5th starters and I think they have average players at best up the middle of the field (C, SS, 2B, CF), Hopefully I'm wrong and they keep winning.
Wassup
Also predicted the White Sox to finish in last place. They are in 1st place. I knew Danks would be a problem.They should have gotten rid of him 4-5 years ago. Still think they are suspect with their 4th and 5th starters and I think they have average players at best up the middle of the field (C, SS, 2B, CF), Hopefully I'm wrong and they keep winning.
Wassup
Correct on 4 and 5 starters, but if they pick up Lincecum, all good.
Incorrect on suspect players through the middle. They got significantly better at all spots this offseason.
I picked the Cubs to win the WS before the season started...like a lot of people.
I am very surprised...pleasantly surprised by the Sox' start. I have been to two games so far this year. I went to see Boston last week on the 5th.
I don't think you need a team full of superstars to win. A few help, no doubt. But what a team really needs to win all season in MLB is to have enough guys have "career years" and obviously to stay away from serious injuries. Good chemistry doesn't hurt either. The 2005 White Sox are a perfect example of that.
I am disappointed in Carlos Rodon so far. I think he has good stuff but he hasn't shown any consistency so far. As far as Danks goes, it is obvious that deal didn't work out. I was real surprised they offered him so much on that last contract. But like good straight men in comedy, 5th starters are hard to find. I was at the game that Erik Johnson pitched last week. To me, it just looked like he was really juiced through the first three innings and left some pitches up and got hurt. But, he definitely settled down in the 4th and 5th innings and did well. Maybe by the 4th inning he had thrown the "edge" off.
I hope the Sox keep playing well too. The chemistry is good, that's for sure.
Honestly I am happy both teams are doing so well. The Cubs are just flat out scary good. I still haven't watched much of them but I do read the papers. We haven't see something this good since the 1984 Tigers and we know what that team ended up doing. With that said I like the idea that the Sox are flying under the radar so far. Let the Cubs have the attention and publicity AND the inevitable pressure that will come from it.
This could be very important for the long haul. No pressure at 35th & Shields, weight of 110 years of futility 10 miles north. All good by me.
Not for a team that concentrates on the process and not the results. Embrace the target. In Joe we trust.
Agreed. Getting contributions from many different areas. Finding numerous ways to win. Every teams has concerns, but this team has been playing very well for a lot longer than the start of this year.
I've been hearing that north wind blow, at different times, since 1969. Hahaha! Time will tell.
Then I have a question for you? You are a Cub fan, why aren't you picking them to win the World Series? Unless I missed it somewhere, you haven't done that. If I felt the White Sox were as good as the Cubs or better I sure as hell would be picking them. That is why I have picked the Cubs to win it all this year. I have said so several times.
What's holding you up? Nervous about making that prediction? Thinking about jinxes, curses, etc.?? Hmmm? hahaha! You said they won't be affected by pressure and this is 2016. Well, come on in, the water is warm. Make the prediction. Trust me, if you're wrong no one cares, least of all me. I don't care if I'm wrong. Forget your ego and make the pick.
But maybe you think another team will win it all. If so, pick your team. I picked the Cubs.
Maybe there doesn't need to be predictions. Maybe some of us just want to enjoy the ride.
No one wins the World Series in May. It's fun to watch good baseball being played on both sides of town for a change. The general self-fulfilling need of some Sox fans to kick the Cubs whenever they can is amusing at beat. Says more about Sox fans than anything else.
For me, I'm enjoying the ride. Doesn't happen very often so I for one will enjoy the ride. Predictions are for Mike and Mike, Screaming A Smith and Chris Maddog Russo.
For me, I'm enjoying the ride. Doesn't happen very often so I for one will enjoy the ride. Predictions are for Mike and Mike, Screaming A Smith and Chris Maddog Russo.
I'm a pretty vocal White Sox fan born and raised that way. I used to get all over Cub fans but really these days I could care less. I hope the Cubs win and win big especially in a year like this one... whereI just want my team to play hard and play the game the right way for once...which has definitely been happening so far.
The Cubs right now are the best team in baseball it's pretty simple to see.
The Cubs right now are the best team in baseball it's pretty simple to see.
No one is saying you win the WS in May. And no one is kicking the Cubs or their fans. It is obvious to me why no one wants to pick the Cubs to win it all except me, Wassup and maybe a few others. I said before and I'll say again, if I thought the Sox were as good as the Cubs I'd be picking them. I picked all three of the Hawks championships and got a couple wrong...so what.
Some of you guys don't want to appear silly or wrong if the Cubs don't win. Please, check your egos at the door because no one cares if you get it wrong. Excuses like " I am just enjoying it so far" are baloney. I am enjoying it too. If I get the prediction right what do I win? Nothing. If I get it wrong what do I lose? Nothing. My ego isn't that important to me to get something wrong. Obviously that isn't true with some of you. If you get it wrong the sun will still rise.
I find it funny how some the same guys here who won't make a prediction about the Cubs are all too willing to make predictions with other teams and other sports and I can give a lot of examples of that. Yeah, you'll make other predictions but when it comes to this you clam up and make silly excuses. So, be truthful. What's the hold up here? You have a team that's off to the best 30 game start in 32 years. More importantly, the Cubs are clearly the best team in baseball and it's not very close right now.
I picked the Cubs to win the 2008 WS because I thought they were the best team in baseball. I still think they had the best team but I got the prediction wrong and look, I survived.
It's OK guys. You can do this. I think the Cubs are the best team in baseball and so do a LOT of people. I think they will win the World Series this year...and so do a LOT of people. The difference is, we will go out there and say so and won't sit around being afraid to get a prediction wrong.
Like I said, if you don't think it will be the Cubs year then who do you think will win? Play along.
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I predict they will win their division and avoid the Wild Card game. I just don't think you can predict a WS winner in baseball. I think they have the best team (at the moment), but the best team does not necessarily win. The hottest team at the time gets it done. I need to see if Hammel and the relief pitching holds up. They've gotten big contributions from their bench (Baez, LaStella, Szczur). Heyward and Soler have not done much. Hopefully, they will step up. I like their attitude and approach. I wouldn't want any other manager leading them. They seem to have all the pieces in place (and I have confidence in Epstein/Hoyer to make improvements when necessary), but there's a long way to go.
I get your post PJJP and, as always, you make perfect sense. But anyone "can" make a prediction. Whether you get it right or wrong is where the argument comes in. Mine is simply a prediction...not a guarantee, as you know.
Here is my larger point. These guys don't want to make a prediction because it's the Cubs. Somehow they can't bring themselves to do it for a host of reasons...all which are silly to me. But think about this. I have seen every single one of these guys and many others make predictions every single year as to what the Bears' record will be.
Recently SIU said they will win 10 games. (check the Cutler Hater thread) Sounds like a prediction to me and it is still spring. Months away from kickoff. Yeah you can split hairs and say they are predicting number of wins not championships. But a prediction is a prediction. And you have someone else saying maybe there don't need to be predictions. I will remind him and anyone else not to predict the Bears either if that's your attitude.
Dr
Despite your characterization and blanket statements I am enjoying the ride. I dont live or die when my teams lose. I'm a spoiled sports fan in a way because a team I cheer for has won 3 titles in 6 years.
For this years Cubs it's easier to enjoy today than worry about tomorrow. Too many tomorrow's have sucked as a Cub fan. That's why I'm going to enjoy every last minute of this. I don't want to predict this that or the other thing, I just want to watch a group of what amounts to be kids, enjoy playing a grown mans game.
If they win it all great. I'm just happy their winning today. I'll worry about September and October when they get here. Tomorrow isn't promised to anyone or anything that's why I enjoy today
Despite your characterization and blanket statements I am enjoying the ride. I dont live or die when my teams lose. I'm a spoiled sports fan in a way because a team I cheer for has won 3 titles in 6 years.
For this years Cubs it's easier to enjoy today than worry about tomorrow. Too many tomorrow's have sucked as a Cub fan. That's why I'm going to enjoy every last minute of this. I don't want to predict this that or the other thing, I just want to watch a group of what amounts to be kids, enjoy playing a grown mans game.
If they win it all great. I'm just happy their winning today. I'll worry about September and October when they get here. Tomorrow isn't promised to anyone or anything that's why I enjoy today
Predictions are so people can say "told you". I find it very odd you are trying to back a few of us Cub fans into a corner and have a us make predictions. It has nothing to do with egos, goats ect ect ect. I'm enjoying watching the best team in mlb and see no reason to make a prediction but keep trying to force the issue.
Original thought.
I hear or read this at least once per day. It's interesting how often Cub fans belittle Sox fans by doing exactly what they say Sox fans do. Special little flowers.
FYI, I love this Cub team. I just wish the fans could be sent to a different planet.
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