OnlyBucs

5A7C7D6A7C6C1F0 wrote: I almost think the worst thing that could happen to the Pirates is for the Cubs to lose the World Series.  They will work harder towards upgrading next year.  that being said, I am rooting for the Indians.




I've gone back and forth on this one. Realistically, who would the Cubs add? Their team is pretty much rock solid everywhere. Where would you add a player and expect reasonable upgrade?



OTOH, if you Cleveland wins (without Carrasco and Salazar) are they willing to trade one of those guys for an OFer. They proved they had the pitching without them to win. Actually, they have sort of proven that already.

Teams that win spend the off-season receiving awards and speaking at banquets, and mentioning to their agents how they should have more money. Teams that lose regroup and come back with vengeance on their minds. I suspect the Cubs will have less of an edge to them next year if they spent the off-season how wonderful they are.

5F4266646A0F0 wrote: I almost think the worst thing that could happen to the Pirates is for the Cubs to lose the World Series.  They will work harder towards upgrading next year.  that being said, I am rooting for the Indians.




I've gone back and forth on this one.  Realistically, who would the Cubs add?  Their team is pretty much rock solid everywhere.  Where would you add a player and expect reasonable upgrade?



OTOH, if you Cleveland wins (without Carrasco and Salazar) are they willing to trade one of those guys for an OFer.  They proved they had the pitching without them to win.  Actually, they have sort of proven that already.


For the Cubs it may just mean tinkering around edges. It could just be players being more determined to win, working harder in off season. Then the Cubs could make moves to overcome injuries or poor performance after season starts. They went out and got Chapman this year and could do something like that again. I agree with your comments about Indians. I wonder if they will expect Brantley to come back next year or consider anything he does as a bonus.

77756F697F1A0 wrote: Teams that lose regroup and come back with vengeance on their minds.
Well...the Pirates saw their 98-win season crash and burn in a WC playoff game and definitely did not come back this year with a vengeance.

654845545342551516270 wrote: Teams that lose regroup and come back with vengeance on their minds.
Well...the Pirates saw their 98-win season crash and burn in a WC playoff game and definitely did not come back this year with a vengeance.






I did expect them to come back with a vengeance but it didn't come close to happening. At least part of this was from several players underperforming. I could see a factor being that the players didn't think the off season was a good one either (at least in the back of their minds) and thus didn't really believe in the team.

032524332535460 wrote: I almost think the worst thing that could happen to the Pirates is for the Cubs to lose the World Series.  They will work harder towards upgrading next year.  that being said, I am rooting for the Indians.




I've gone back and forth on this one.  Realistically, who would the Cubs add?  Their team is pretty much rock solid everywhere.  Where would you add a player and expect reasonable upgrade?



OTOH, if you Cleveland wins (without Carrasco and Salazar) are they willing to trade one of those guys for an OFer.  They proved they had the pitching without them to win.  Actually, they have sort of proven that already.


For the Cubs it may just mean tinkering around edges.  It could just be players being more determined to win, working harder in off season.  Then the Cubs could make moves to overcome injuries or poor performance after season starts.  They went out and got Chapman this year and could do something like that again.  I agree with your comments about Indians.  I wonder if they will expect Brantley to come back next year or consider anything he does as a bonus.




They could upgrade David Ross" retirement. And Jason Hayward has been a big disappointment. He's probably owed another $100M. If the Cubs lose, would they be willing to eat much of his contract to upgrade?

3B3C2A222C3B7C70092E24282025672A2624490 wrote: I almost think the worst thing that could happen to the Pirates is for the Cubs to lose the World Series.  They will work harder towards upgrading next year.  that being said, I am rooting for the Indians.




I've gone back and forth on this one.  Realistically, who would the Cubs add?  Their team is pretty much rock solid everywhere.  Where would you add a player and expect reasonable upgrade?



OTOH, if you Cleveland wins (without Carrasco and Salazar) are they willing to trade one of those guys for an OFer.  They proved they had the pitching without them to win.  Actually, they have sort of proven that already.


For the Cubs it may just mean tinkering around edges.  It could just be players being more determined to win, working harder in off season.  Then the Cubs could make moves to overcome injuries or poor performance after season starts.  They went out and got Chapman this year and could do something like that again.  I agree with your comments about Indians.  I wonder if they will expect Brantley to come back next year or consider anything he does as a bonus.




They could upgrade David Ross" retirement.  And Jason Hayward has been a big disappointment.  He's probably owed another $100M.  If the Cubs lose, would they be willing to eat much of his contract to upgrade?




I wonder how much catching Kyle Schwarber will do? He caught about 20 games in 2015 but they may want him as full time outfielder next season. My guess is the Cubs will hope that Heyward comes back but on a short leash as far as getting a starting position.

4D4A5C545A4D0A067F58525E5653115C50523F0 wrote: And Jason Hayward has been a big disappointment.  He's probably owed another $100M.  If the Cubs lose, would they be willing to eat much of his contract to upgrade?


Heyward is guaranteed another 162 million thru 2023 unless he's crazy enough to opt out in 2018 or 2019.

527F72636475622221100 wrote: And Jason Hayward has been a big disappointment.  He's probably owed another $100M.  If the Cubs lose, would they be willing to eat much of his contract to upgrade?


Heyward is guaranteed another 162 million thru 2023 unless he's crazy enough to opt out in 2018 or 2019.




Right.



Sadly, they are so stacked, he will just come off the bench if he plays bad. They can play any of Fowler, Schwarber, Soler, and Zobrist ahead of him. Just like they are now in the world series. It's insane.

We cant afford to buy pitching .So we need to go after young bats . Then we hope and pray some of our young pitchers come around. And if we are lucky the young pitching and hitting will come around at the same time and we have another 3 year window.



What happened the last 4 years is gone. Get over it .



We are starting over with some plus players and some hopeful prospects. But it all has to come together at once . Hell i just need it to be once....Onetime will get me to the end of time. :-[