Chicago Cubs baseball!!!

Wobbie

Hope my Giants don’t want him.

DewieCox

KC should hire him unless I missed the news that Matheny, who will be a disaster sooner than later, was definitely in, there. 

He’s the type of manager that will do great when there isn’t a ton of set in their ways veterans to question his peculiarities. LaRussa 2.0

bbiggs

As much as we under-achieved these last two seasons, Maddon leaving is bittersweet.  It’s definitely time for a change, but I’ll always be grateful for Maddon’s time with the Cubs. 

HesCalledDyer

Was it really time for a managerial change?  A lot of people are saying that (not just here).  I beg to differ.  Maddon is the best guy for the job.  I've seen a lot of blame on Maddon for not taking this team to the postseason.  Maddon's fault. If Maddon did this or did that or didn't do this or didn't do that.  And yes, I know I too have often been guilty of calling out some of his decisions. Sometimes it's out of frustration because it doesn't work out, or out of pure confusion, but the bottom line is he knows more than any of us who criticize him ever will.  I look at this season like this:  There's so much "blame Maddon" for not making the Postseason, but really it's just the opposite.  Maddon is THE REASON the Cubs were still even in contention up until Wednesday. As inconsistently as the team played all year, streaky players, so many injuries, terrible defense, a bullpen that was absolutely horrid no matter who you put on the mound - the fact that they still had a shot at the division a week ago is nothing short of miracle work.

When your front office trades for & signs guys like Alex Avila, Terrence Gore, Daniel Descalso, Tony Kemp, and a slew of relief pitchers like Justin Wilson, Brian Matusz, Derek Holland with career ERA's hovering over 6.00, exactly what the fuck is Joe Maddon to do? He got the absolute best out of what was given to him.  What was given to him just wasn't that good.  Jed & Theo have done an asbolutely abhorrent job at acquiring talent thru trades and the offseason, ever since the Chapman trade.  Darvish is finally turning it around & Castellanos did rather well for us. But there hasn't been one other player we've acquired since August 2016 that's been worth a fuck.  We gave all our best draft picks away for peanuts, kept all the ones that aren't panning out, played discount free agency every year (and yet somehow managed to have the 3rd highest payroll in the league).  I think the change needed to be made at the top, not in the dugout.

Indifference71

I really hope Maddon replaces Renteria again and takes over the white sox.  I know this season was disappointing for the Cubs, but they sure seemed desperate to get rid of the guy who managed them to the playoffs 4 out of 5 years and a world series.

bbiggs

For right or wrong, professional sport is a performance based business. When a team with as much “talent” and money as the Cubs underperforms two years in a row, someone is going to take the fall. 

bbiggs

And while I don’t blame everything on Joe, there are some very fundamental weaknesses with this team that have nothing to do with talent, or lack thereof.  For example, not being able to manufacture runs and relying solely on the long ball. That comes from bad coaching, regardless if you have a bunch of “bombers” in the lineup. 

Indifference71

Yeah I guess.  Front office didn't really help him out much with the bullpen.  I'm also a fan of a team who hasn't played a significant game in a decade so the thought of getting rid of a guy who just had a run like Maddon is crazy to me.  But yeah, it is surprising that they only won 1 world series with that core.  

bbiggs

^ You are right that they didn’t give him any help in the relief pitching dept. That one falls solely on the front office. I also don’t think anyone would have demanded multiple WS wins. I sure wouldn’t. But the late season implosions two years in a row do fall on Joe on some level. Certainly not all of it is on him, but in this business the manager is usually the first to go. Some up and coming team will do well with him. He has a way of working well with young talent. 

HesCalledDyer

I will forever blame the 2018 Cubs collapse on Major League Baseball’s total “Hey, let’s completely fuck over the Cubs” scheduling. What was it? 42 games in 41 days without a single day off to end the season? Something like that. Like you really couldn’t have sprinkled some of those make-up games in June or July?

HesCalledDyer

Theo: Hey lets get Derek Holland. Despite a 6.51 ERA lefties are only batting .168 against him. 

*Bryce Harper, a lefty, hits walk-off Grand Slam in Holland’s first appearance*

Theo: Fire Joe Maddon.

Wobbie

HesCalledDyer said:

I will forever blame the 2018 Cubs collapse on Major League Baseball’s total “Hey, let’s completely fuck over the Cubs” scheduling. What was it? 42 games in 41 days without a single day off to end the season? Something like that. Like you really couldn’t have sprinkled some of those make-up games in June or July?

so, now you’re a conspiracy theorist?

derek holland is a good “clubhouse guy.” good at lightening the mood. 

HesCalledDyer

Wobbie said:

HesCalledDyer said:

I will forever blame the 2018 Cubs collapse on Major League Baseball’s total “Hey, let’s completely fuck over the Cubs” scheduling. What was it? 42 games in 41 days without a single day off to end the season? Something like that. Like you really couldn’t have sprinkled some of those make-up games in June or July?

so, now you’re a conspiracy theorist?

derek holland is a good “clubhouse guy.” good at lightening the mood. 

There's no conspiracy.  The Cubs played without a single day off the last 6 weeks of the season.  They were totally fucked over by MLB's scheduling.

HesCalledDyer

And Derek Holland sucks.

DewieCox

HesCalledDyer said:

Wobbie said:

HesCalledDyer said:

I will forever blame the 2018 Cubs collapse on Major League Baseball’s total “Hey, let’s completely fuck over the Cubs” scheduling. What was it? 42 games in 41 days without a single day off to end the season? Something like that. Like you really couldn’t have sprinkled some of those make-up games in June or July?

so, now you’re a conspiracy theorist?

derek holland is a good “clubhouse guy.” good at lightening the mood. 

There's no conspiracy.  The Cubs played without a single day off the last 6 weeks of the season.  They were totally fucked over by MLB's scheduling.

Cardinals had a similar stretch earlier in the season and I thought it was bogus that they couldn’t push back the afternoon game that followed their 19 inning game when both teams had a day off after.

Wobbie

HesCalledDyer said:

And Derek Holland sucks.

yeah, but he keeps the mood light!

bbiggs

Wobbie said:

HesCalledDyer said:

And Derek Holland sucks.

yeah, but he keeps the mood light!

A candle can do the same lol 

bbiggs

Epic, soul crushing loss for the Brewers tonight. Couldn’t have happened to a better group. 😁

darwinstheory

Once Hader took the mound, you know they thought it was over. Maybe I'm pulling for the Nationals. I'd tell you for sure if I wasn't still too bitter about this season. But for the next month or so: fuck baseball...

HesCalledDyer

Bye bye, Beershits!