***Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Thread***

[Skyh13]

I should have stuck to my guns and just assumed they weren’t gonna make it and stopped paying attention, but if I woke up in a week and they were in the playoffs, cool, I’d watch… but being put through this nonsense at the end of the year is too ******* much.

 

[BigJCy]

 

[BigJCy]

 

[Clonefan32]

That **** was getting walked off in the 9th anyway

 

[David Freshman1982]

Honestly, Ross should be fired this offseason. He sucks as a manager. Thanks for your 2016 contributions and keeping Lester happy. Now please go away.

 

[NoCreativity]

That **** was getting walked off in the 9th anyway

Yeah, you could feel it slipping away the minute Steele got in trouble in the 6th. I think they had the top of the order coming up in the 9th anyways.

 

[ISUCubswin]

Honestly, Ross should be fired this offseason. He sucks as a manager. Thanks for your 2016 contributions and keeping Lester happy. Now please go away.

What’s unfortunate is I think the dude is probably an elite bench coach. If he wants to stay in baseball, he’ll be great for some team.

 

[David Freshman1982]

What’s unfortunate is I think the dude is probably an elite bench coach. If he wants to stay in baseball, he’ll be great for some team.

If he leaves PCA in the game, Cubs win, it's that simple. And the bunting! Granted, I didn't expect the Cubs to go far if they got in the postseason this year, but they had it sewn up and totally screwed the pooch in September. Bad play, un-clutch performances*, and the awful manager.

*Everyone seems eager to throw 200-300 million at Bellinger this offseason, but tell me how he's earned that in the clutch, the last six weeks, when the "MVP" should be showing his stripes. I see Betts, and Acuna, and (though they fell out of it) Soto getting the job done for their teams. Bellinger, not so much. I hope the Cubs save that coin and go after Ohtani instead.

 

[ClonesTwenty1]

Honestly, Ross should be fired this offseason. He sucks as a manager. Thanks for your 2016 contributions and keeping Lester happy. Now please go away.

I’d be surprised if he was fired.

 

[ISUCubswin]

I’d be surprised if he was fired.

He’s an elite “yes man” so he’ll most certainly be back

 

[CYdTracked]

LOL, the Brant Brown call synced up to the play! Man I miss Santo, he had some of the best live reactions as he was the same emotional mess most fans were when bad things happened.

 

[RivClone23]

What an awful game. Obviously Seiya needs to catch that ball but this game is not on him.

Bringing PCA in in the 4th. PCA TOOTBLAN at 3rd (with Suzuki batting). The bunt. All the walks by the bullpen. Taking out your defensive CF after the stupid bunt.

 

[CYdTracked]

If he leaves PCA in the game, Cubs win, it's that simple. And the bunting! Granted, I didn't expect the Cubs to go far if they got in the postseason this year, but they had it sewn up and totally screwed the pooch in September. Bad play, un-clutch performances*, and the awful manager.

*Everyone seems eager to throw 200-300 million at Bellinger this offseason, but tell me how he's earned that in the clutch, the last six weeks, when the "MVP" should be showing his stripes. I see Betts, and Acuna, and (though they fell out of it) Soto getting the job done for their teams. Bellinger, not so much. I hope the Cubs save that coin and go after Ohtani instead.

So you want to spend money on Ohtani who has a bad elbow and will only bat DH for now when you can sign a guy that can play gold glove defense at CF and 1B and also hit? I was all on on Ohtani before the injury but now he's a risky signing for the money he likely will command. A healthy Ohtani gives you an Ace on the mound and a solid middle of the order bat that requires only 1 roster spot. He already had Tommy John surgery in 2018 so this is his 2nd elbow injury now. He also had a knee surgery after 2019 too.

Part of the problem is no consistent protection in the lineup for Belli too. Suzuki and Swanson probably have the most AB in the 5 spot and while both have had some hot streaks niether exactly strike much fear if Belli gets a hit or walks in front of them.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

You gave the best team in baseball a free out in a close game because you wanted to move a 36 year old catcher into scoring position in a park with a small outfield. Just think of the stupidity required to make that decision.

 

[CYdTracked]

What an awful game. Obviously Seiya needs to catch that ball but this game is not on him.

Bringing PCA in in the 4th. PCA TOOTBLAN at 3rd (with Suzuki batting). The bunt. All the walks by the bullpen. Taking out your defensive CF after the stupid bunt.

Haven't really been able to trust the bullpen for awhile and even the guys you sort of could are now either hurt or gassed from having to throw so many innings. It's going to be a short lived appearance in the playoffs if they can hold onto a wild card spot as even our rotation is a little shaky right now. Steele has thrown more innings than he has ever in his career, Assad probably too and it's starting to show and you can probably go through the bullpen and young pitchers and find the same where their usage is the most they have seen in their career. I get that there are guys that have thrown more but they are mostly seasoned veterans too that have put their body through that a few times already and know how to stay fresh.

 

[RivClone23]

Haven't really been able to trust the bullpen for awhile and even the guys you sort of could are now either hurt or gassed from having to throw so many innings. It's going to be a short lived appearance in the playoffs if they can hold onto a wild card spot as even our rotation is a little shaky right now. Steele has thrown more innings than he has ever in his career, Assad probably too and it's starting to show and you can probably go through the bullpen and young pitchers and find the same where their usage is the most they have seen in their career. I get that there are guys that have thrown more but they are mostly seasoned veterans too that have put their body through that a few times already and know how to stay fresh.

I 100% agree with all of this.

This season might end in disappointment, and I'm on board with getting rid of Ross. That said, our staff is limping to the finish line which can be blamed on a lot of things including front office, bad luck, and young pitchers. Ross just doesn't have good options right now. Guys that should be 7th/8th men in the bullpen or long guys are being asked to pitch high leverage innings at the most high leverage time of the season.

 

[chuckd4735]

I've honestly never seen such an egregious error on a fly ball....at any level above little league. It was that bad, Suzuki. Just let Bellinger take it, and get the hell out of the way.

The Brant Brown error was worse. If we follow suit this year, all we need is a Terry Mulholland like throwing error this weekend. The ending of the 1998 season was an emotional rollercoaster as we barely snuck into the one game playoff.

 

[NoCreativity]

You gave the best team in baseball a free out in a close game because you wanted to move a 36 year old catcher into scoring position in a park with a small outfield. Just think of the stupidity required to make that decision.

He's fortunate that he didn't bunt right into a double play. His speed saved him. Yeah, there's a time to play station to station and a guy that is already 3-3 steps to the plate isn't it.

 

[Clonefan32]

He's fortunate that he didn't bunt right into a double play. His speed saved him. Yeah, there's a time to play station to station and a guy that is already 3-3 steps to the plate isn't it.

And when you are trying to move over a guy who will require a ball to the gap to score from 2nd anyway it's even worse.

 

[Cyforce]

If he leaves PCA in the game, Cubs win, it's that simple. And the bunting! Granted, I didn't expect the Cubs to go far if they got in the postseason this year, but they had it sewn up and totally screwed the pooch in September. Bad play, un-clutch performances*, and the awful manager.

*Everyone seems eager to throw 200-300 million at Bellinger this offseason, but tell me how he's earned that in the clutch, the last six weeks, when the "MVP" should be showing his stripes. I see Betts, and Acuna, and (though they fell out of it) Soto getting the job done for their teams. Bellinger, not so much. I hope the Cubs save that coin and go after Ohtani instead.

Not sure why PCA is exempt from this blame fest. He's been caught off 3rd twice including last night. Let a routine ball fall in center. Been picked off first (though he beat it out to 2nd) and been caught steeling twice on questionable goes. Kid isn't ready.