Programming Note: As you may have noticed, posts have become slightly more scarce over the offseason (in which we celebrated the Cubs winning the World Series after a 3-1 deficit). I think that happened for two reasons. The first is that the Cubs won the World Series, so it's sort of like the ending of a book. They reached the promised land, and there wasn't that much more to say. Our need to think about baseball went away for a little while. The second is that the Cubs just didn't do that much in the offseason. With the exception of Wade Davis, the Cubs are basically the same team as they were last year. When that team won the World Series after a 3-1 deficit, there isn't that much to change, but nonetheless it still made a boring offseason. Additionally, I now have baby Russell to tote around, and having 2 kids means less time to blog.
Now that the season is fast approaching, and I've started to get the itch to talk baseball again, I'm hoping to pick up the pace. Hopefully I can convince the other writers to do the same.
I'm going to take a look at the 201 Cubs, starting with the best players and taking a descending order. I'm just sorting by projected WAR (ZIPS).
Kris Bryant (3B)
In 2016: Fairly decent season, as Bryant slashed .292/.385/.554 with 39 HR, 75 BB, and the NL MVP award and 8.4 WAR.
In 2017: Bryant is projected to slash .274/.372/.512 with 33 HR, 78 BB, and 5.8 WAR.
In Haiku:
Whistling overhead –
Another ball exploded.
Wears Express clothing.
Kris Bryant is either the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th best baseball player. Number 1 is clearly Mike Trout. I'd have Bryant as number 2, though I'm willing to listen to arguments on either Clayton Kershaw (the best pitcher since Pedro Martinez) or Josh Donaldson (who has slightly more pedigree than Bryant, and similar if not slightly better offensive numbers in a better league [though easier offensive environment]). He's just 25, and he has 15 career WAR. Before 2016, he was a great, but flawed player – he led the league in strikeouts (199!), and the worry was that he wouldn't be able to cut that number without a significant dip in power. Well, he went from 30.6% to 22.0% while increasing his ISO from .213 to .262. When a top-20 offensive player gets better in every way, while getting BETTER at defense, you've got a special player. Bryant used to lead Rizzo off the bag and into the first base line. That stopped in 2016. The only thing that I'm even slightly worried about is the fact that he pulled a LOT of balls last year. He's a shiftable righty, and there aren't that many of those. Honestly, though, who cares? They aren't shifting bums – they shift players who are blistering the ball on the regular.
One thing you might be able to worry about is how Bryant sort of fell off at the end of the year. In Sept/Oct, he slashed .221/.293/.375 –
Wait. What's that you say? Bryant slashed .308/.400/.523 in the playoffs last year, with 3 HR? Oh, ok, forget I said anything.
Seriously, Bryant is the type of player you can build a team around, and he's one of two players the Cubs have for which that is true. Bryant isn't a free agent until 2022, when he'll cash in to a ridiculous, ridiculous contract. I wouldn't expect a hometown discount, but he's absolutely a player the Cubs will want around for 15 years.
Comments
Addison Russell hit a HR just now. (swoon)
mylesQuote Reply
Willson Contreras hit a HR just now. (Swoon)
Myles HandleyQuote Reply
Contreras also went deep.
dmick89Quote Reply
My sources are saying that Willson Contreras has hit a home run.
mylesQuote Reply
#FlyTheT
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I’m looking forward to the deep dive for the last 100 or so posts in this series.
berseliusQuote Reply
The game of baseball needs more bow ties.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I don’t want to be too pessimistic, but I think this team has a better than 50% chance of besting their .640 winning average with an outside of being in the conversation for the greatest of all time. And I am factoring 200 games lost to injury from the opening day roster.
I am such a downer.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Addy hit another one out today.
dmick89Quote Reply
Be still my beating heart
mylesQuote Reply
Who is this Addison Russell guy? He seems good.
EdwinQuote Reply
Edwin,
You may have missed this due to the flurry of posts over the offseason, but here you go: http://obstructedview.net/happy-23rd-birthday-addison-russell/
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Awesome. Now if the Cubs could only become incredible at drafting they might finally win a World Series, if they don’t lose to the Dodgers in 5 games in the playoffs first.
EdwinQuote Reply
Don’t tell me what to do.
My beating heartQuote Reply
I completely missed the news that the Cubs extended Strop.
berseliusQuote Reply
paging JonKneeV –
Purdue is B1G champs! Seniors this year saw Purdue as last in the Big Ten as freshman. Pretty awesome feeling for them.
mylesQuote Reply
Send him a fax.
dmick89Quote Reply
My singing-gram was returned undeliverable.
mylesQuote Reply
David Price ——————-> sore elbow
Baseball ———————–> cruel
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Reminder that Arrieta isn’t a Cub next year for this reason and others
MylesQuote Reply
Yep. Also another reason why I never get too excited for a baseball season this early. Too easily snatched away (altho Boston should remain competitive).
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Ugh.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
MLB & MLBPA approved new rules, one of which seemingly makes Carter Capps’ delivery illegal. His team is trying to clarify but I don’t see how they can circumvent the new wording of the rule.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
In more injury-to-stars news, David Wright’s body continues to tell David Wright’s brain that it hates baseball. Shoulder impingement being the newest way it has expressed this feeling. More severe neck and back issues to follow if this latest warning is not heeded, it threatens.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Good. Carter Capps’ pitching sorcery is a blight on the otherwise unblemished face of baseball and at odds with the game’s unspoken but but deeply held motto: may the game be as little fun as possible.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
It doesn’t seem as though they’re making the delivery he used last year illegal, just the one he’s shown in the bullpen this offseason (with two hops):
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/mlb-has-clarified-its-carter-capps-position/
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
i.e., nothing is changing here.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
And allowing him to do multiple hops would be ridiculous. You might as well allow him to hop all the way to the catcher and drop the ball in his glove.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Obviously, I am the only one who looks forward to such an unorthodox, silly-looking delivery ending in a 500 ft HR, like the baseball version of this:
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
This is as bad of an interpretation as we can get. He bunnyhops off the rubber. That’s an extra step.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Interesting news for the Bears/49ers fans in the house.
RynoQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
Fun fact about that movie scene: Originally there was supposed to be a long drawn out fight where Indiana Jones gets stabbed in the throat and dies with the movie ending and the Nazi’s winning, but Harrison Ford was sick that day so he opted to use the gun and then just did improv for the rest of the movie.
EdwinQuote Reply
does anyone listen to the poscast? it’s joe pos and ken tremendous. i just listened to the episode where they have a draft for road signs…pretty entertaining.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
I love that show. I spent the last few weeks plowing through the archives. The episode where KT ‘advertises’ Dollar Shave Club by wishing they could send someone to break into his house and chloroform him is the hardest that I have laughed in months.
berseliusQuote Reply
Edwin,
He fired a real bullet, too.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
berselius,
haha good to know, i will keep going through the archives then.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Road slippery when wet was a bargain at No. 5. Incredible value.
MylesQuote Reply
Add hidden driveway is criminally underrated. Almost nothing more magical than a hidden driveway.
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
agreed on both counts. slippery when wet would have been #2 on my list for many reasons. i think taking “stop” as the #1 pick was a questionable choice.
i am also partial to “slow children at play” because i always used to read it as “SLOW CHILDREN at play” and not “SLOW, children at play”.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
Given the number of road trips I have been on, city distance signs would have been high on my list.
BerseliusQuote Reply
I like the ones that have two nearby cities and one 2 states over.
Myles HandleyQuote Reply
no way, those things are depressing as hell. i always think i’m WAY closer than i really am and would much rather remain in blissful ignorance than be reminded that the next point of reference is like iowa city and it’s still 228 miles away.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Home run for Eloy.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Hendricks is looking good today.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Bryant!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
They should keep DHing Heyward so he can get some timing back.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I’ve been out of town. Heyward still has not gotten a hit? I feel like he could actually go hitless this year.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
No, but that RBI walk sure was exciting.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Tommy La Stella is gonna get that bench spot.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
I assumed that was pretty much already a given. Joe seems to love La Stella and he gives the Cubs a lot of flexibility.
dmick89Quote Reply
Vogelbach might end up with the starting 1B spot for Seattke this year. Would be a huge fan of that happening. Kid needs 650 PA in the majors this year.
MylesQuote Reply
OK, fellas, make sure all your children are tall, white, mediocre back-up QBs.
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
how much does tall, white, and mediocre get me
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
If you’re as tall, white and mediocre as Mike Glennon, about $15 million.
If you’re not as tall, black and pretty good, you get cut by the Bills. So don’t let your kids be that.
RynoQuote Reply
Or how about Davis Webb being rumored as a first-round pick.
That’s Davis Webb, the tall, white, mediocre QB that lost his starting job to Baker Mayfield AND a true freshman Patrick Mahomes at Tech.
BTW, that’s Patrick Mahomes, the QB that’s too much of a risk and too raw to go in the first round.
RynoQuote Reply
Myles,
Glad he won’t be killing the Cubs until the World Series.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
WAS getting rid of their best front office guy is classic WAS.
RynoQuote Reply
Man, there are so many good DBs in this draft…
RynoQuote Reply
the currency draft is REALLY good
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
What podcast are you guys talking about?
dmick89Quote Reply
Jason Heyward has a batting average now.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I suppose I should clarify that it is a nonzero batting average.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
He’s no Christian Hackenberg, my frent, that’s for sure.
berseliusQuote Reply
Joe Posnanski and Michael Schur (Ken Tremendous) sporadically put out the Poscast.
berseliusQuote Reply
POOR PEOPLE: “I’d like some healthcare, please.”
GOP: “Well well well, looks like Mr. “I went out to Applebee’s last week and ordered Apps” wants to stay alive by receiving some healthcare. Nice try, moneybags.”
EdwinQuote Reply
A-Rod —> FOX Sports full time
Rice in limboQuote Reply
Rice in limbo,
Did he do an ok job as an analyst? I didn’t catch much of the coverage.
EdwinQuote Reply
Edwin,
For some reason I seem to remember thinking that he did a really good job. It’s possible I’m thinking of someone else, but I think it was him and I was really impressed.
dmick89Quote Reply
I searched back through the comments and yeah, I thought ARod was really good during the postgame. I was also reminded of how stupid Pete Rose is so maybe ARod seemed to be so good only in comparison to that idiot.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
From the very little I saw, I thought he looked ok. Seemed to bring some good energy, and make some good observations.
EdwinQuote Reply
The defending world champions of baseball have fallen to Italy.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I have to double check the CBA, but I think this means that Anthony Rizzo is now the president of the United States.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Make baseball great again.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
I think the U.S. is under Italian rule now. I don’t mind except that I don’t speak Italian and I’m not keen on converting to Catholicism.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I still prefer the system of determining our leaders through baseball contests over the current election process, however.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Robot Jox ftw
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Don’t tell me what to do
berseliusQuote Reply
Mike Glennon to the Bears, apparently. I don’t understand.
EdwinQuote Reply
Edwin,
See the discussion about tall, white, mediocre QBs.
RynoQuote Reply
While I think Kirk Cousins is overrated by most, I think I’m warming to the idea of SF trading for him. Especially if it’s Cousins and 17 for SF’s 2.
If my choice is the best non-Myles Garrett in the draft or Cousins and say…Corey Davis, I’d take the latter.
RynoQuote Reply
“Pro Football Spot @pfspot 2m
MMQB’s Albert Breer reports the Jets and Bills were only willing to offer free agent Mike Glennon $8-10 million per year, and dropped out…”
That’s quite an overshoot, CHI.
RynoQuote Reply
I’m listening to a podcast with some info on Glennon. Apparently, here are th Pro’s:
-He’s been developed/groomed for the past 4 seasons to be ready to take on a starting role
-He’s an “accurate” passer.
-He’s tall
– He’s a “smart” QB.
-Throws a “catachable” ball, tight spiral
-He throws interceptions, but also sometimes throws touchdown passes
-Very team oriented, accepts his role
EdwinQuote Reply
“Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter
When Mike Glennon signs with Bears, as expected, it will be a three-year, $45 million deal that includes $19 million guaranteed, per sources”
RynoQuote Reply
Of course. Players always improve by not playing.
Sounds like the winning tall-white-mediocre triumvirate to me.
RynoQuote Reply
“Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter 2m
To date, Redskins have shown zero inclination to trade Kirk Cousins and continue to insist they will not.”
Option 1 – Keep Cousins in 2017, let him walk next year for nothing.
Option 2 – Keep Cousins in 2017, franchise him and pay him like $35 million in 2018
Option 3 – Trade Cousins now and receive the compensation to draft your long-term QB.
WAS: Anything but option 3, please!
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno, Based on the team's past front office dysfunction, I expect they end up keeping Cousins too long, trading him for pennies on the dollar after trashing him anonymously in the media for months, then making a panic trade to get Brock Osweiler as a bridge to some sixth round QB that Dan Snyder's second cousin once saw play well against Akron.
berseliusQuote Reply
new shit:
http://obstructedview.net/25-jon-lester/
berseliusQuote Reply