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MLB: ***Official 2018 Chicago Cubs Season Thread***

I have a lot of respect for Lester but think there's a good chance come August he's our #5.

I think he's definitely behind Quintana, Darvish, and Hendricks.

In games not at Coors last year, Chatwood had an ERA of 3.45, WHIP of 1.23, and OBA of .200, all better numbers than 2017 Lester.

Again, I love the guy. I agree with Maddon he should've started today just because he's been there. Just don't think he's our #1, 2 or 3 right now.
 
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CycloneErik said:
I disagree. Baez was over .270 last year. He'll be just fine.
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I prefaced my post by saying it was just 1 game so I am not reading much into anything just 1 game in. Javy has hit .273 the last 2 seasons but his OBP was .314 and .317 which means he isn't walking much and he still struck out 144 times in 469 AB last year which was 2nd most on the team behind Schwarber. That is mind boggling too that even with Schwarber's demotion and platooning he still lead the team in strikeouts last year.

I love watching Baez make unbelievable plays in the field with his glove but there are times you wish he would do what Rizzo does with 2 strikes and shorten up his swing some and not look awful swinging at a pitch low and outside in the dirt for another K. He's just 25 years old and in his 3rd season as a full time player so he still has a lot of room to develop with his hitting. When he is on a hot streak though it is a lot of fun to watch him just crush a pitch when that all out swing of his gets a good pitch to hit.
 
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ISUCubswin said:
I have a lot of respect for Lester but think there's a good chance come August he's our #5.

I think he's definitely behind Quintana, Darvish, and Hendricks.

In games not at Coors last year, Chatwood had an ERA of 3.45, WHIP of 1.23, and OBA of .200, all better numbers than 2017 Lester.

Again, I love the guy. I agree with Maddon he should've started today just because he's been there. Just don't think he's our #1, 2 or 3 right now.
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The Cubs signed Lester in his prime and have got 3 good seasons out of him so far. If he regresses to be the #5 pitcher in this rotation he's still a hell of a lot better #5 guy than any team in the league. Even today he didn't look anything like Lackey did when he struggled last year. He's a big game pitcher, last year he pitched in 3 games and posted a 1.88 ERA in 14 1/3 innings. He had a 2.02 ERA in 35 2/3 innings in 6 games in 2016 when they won the World Series so I am not worried. He has a 9-7 record with a 2.55 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 25 postseason games and 148 innings. He's been an innings eater over his career so he has earned the right to be given the benefit of doubt.

I hope that Maddon has finally taken the training wheels off of Hendricks this season. If any guy on the staff has been yanked too soon at the first sign of trouble the last 2 years it has been him. Unlike Arietta and Lester, when Hendricks is off he's still throwing strikes and getting ground balls with weak contact to get out of jams when Maddon lets him get out of it. He reminds you so much of Greg Maddux and I hope when he hits free agency the Cubs don't make the same mistake they did with Maddux and pay up to keep him.
 
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CYdTracked said:
The Cubs signed Lester in his prime and have got 3 good seasons out of him so far. If he regresses to be the #5 pitcher in this rotation he's still a hell of a lot better #5 guy than any team in the league. Even today he didn't look anything like Lackey did when he struggled last year. He's a big game pitcher, last year he pitched in 3 games and posted a 1.88 ERA in 14 1/3 innings. He had a 2.02 ERA in 35 2/3 innings in 6 games in 2016 when they won the World Series so I am not worried. He has a 9-7 record with a 2.55 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 25 postseason games and 148 innings. He's been an innings eater over his career so he has earned the right to be given the benefit of doubt.

I hope that Maddon has finally taken the training wheels off of Hendricks this season. If any guy on the staff has been yanked too soon at the first sign of trouble the last 2 years it has been him. Unlike Arietta and Lester, when Hendricks is off he's still throwing strikes and getting ground balls with weak contact to get out of jams when Maddon lets him get out of it. He reminds you so much of Greg Maddux and I hope when he hits free agency the Cubs don't make the same mistake they did with Maddux and pay up to keep him.
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He'll be closer to 40 than 30 when the contract is up with a lot of miles.

Maddux was 10 years younger and coming off a Cy Young when the Cubs made that mistake. Don't think it's an apples to apples situation.
 
KnappShack said:
He'll be closer to 40 than 30 when the contract is up with a lot of miles.

Maddux was 10 years younger and coming off a Cy Young when the Cubs made that mistake. Don't think it's an apples to apples situation.
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Hendricks will hit free agency in 2021 and be right in his prime at age 31 so as long as he keeps pitching well and stays healthy that will be a big decision on locking him up for big money for another 5 or 6 years or letting him walk.

Lester is signed through 2020 and has a vesting option for 2021 if he pitches 200 innings in 2020 or 400 combined in 19 and 20. He'll be 37 in 2021 so depending on his health and effectiveness he likely will retire around then I would guess or only be signing for a 1 or 2 year deal for much less than he is making now probably.

The best contract on the books is probably Quintana. Cubs have options on him in both 2019 and 2020 for just $10.5 mil each or a $1 mil buyout. He'll also hit free agency in 2021 at age 32. Hopefully by 2021 the Cubs will finally have developed at least 1 quality MLB starter in their minor leagues to have some options on what to do with their staff because chances are both Hendricks and Quintana are the types that if they keep improving and pitching at the level they are now are going to get $20+ mil a year.

I was just looking at the Darvish contract and it's interesting how they structured that: http://www.spotrac.com/mlb/chicago-cubs/yu-darvish-8680/ His most expensive year is this year and he can actually opt out of the contract after next season if he wants. If he has 2 good seasons with the Cubs that could be interesting to see if he wants to test the market for a better deal than what is left on his last 4 years because at age 33 getting anything more than 4 years or more than an average of $20 mil a year that he'd get by not opting out of the Cubs contract might be taking a big risk on his part.
 
I wish the Cubs would have more success like other teams at signing their young guys for a long time on team friendly contracts. I feel like that's against Theo and Jeds philosophy though.
 
ISUCubswin said:
I wish the Cubs would have more success like other teams at signing their young guys for a long time on team friendly contracts. I feel like that's against Theo and Jeds philosophy though.
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They did it with Rizzo.
 
Heyward needs to grow a sack and get closer to the plate. He is so far away that he looks like an idiot going for outside pitches. I've never seen someone stand that far
 
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