Your fearless Obstructed View Executive Chairmen got together to discuss various topics related to the 2011 Cubs season. We looked at the offseason and the new additions to the club in part one. Here’s part two, which focuses on our predictions for the 2011 season.
Ryan Theriot
[mb21] : How many times will Theriot get a standing ovation when the Cardinals come to town?[aisle 424] : Zero.
[aisle 424] : He will be roundly booed.
[berselius] : zero
[aisle 424] : That “right side of the rivalry” bit got a lot of traction.
[berselius] : The Hobbitton Gazette will make sure to bang the drum on his “right side of the rivalry” comments
[mb21] : I actually hope he doesn’t get booed. He was a player on back to back division championships. He’s an idiot, but I hope he doesn’t booed.
[aisle 424] : Prepare to be disappointed.
[berselius] : That’s the 2011 motto (dying laughing)
[aisle 424] : (dying laughing)
Who will surprise, who will disappoint?
[mb21] : I think Zambrano surprises everybody this year. Then again, I think I’ve said that every single year since 2003.
[aisle 424] : I love that you have the macro in here too.
[berselius] : That or the “Let’s see what happens” from those Ricketts/Hendry gifs MO made (dying laughing)
[AndCounting] : I was wondering about that. (dying laughing)
[mb21] : How could you not have the macro everywhere you go?
[mb21] : I think Kerry Wood most underperforms. His last two years have been average as a reliever and that’s basically replacement level.
[aisle 424] : I think Colvin falls short of the projections. He worries me anyway, and he has been hyped so much that if he starts under-performing a little there will be added pressure on him to “step up”
[berselius] : True, but I don’t think people are expecting too much.
[berselius] : Agree on Colvin falling short, big time
[berselius] : though FWIW the projections don’t like him
[aisle 424] : That’s what concerns me even more.
[AndCounting] : Aramis Ramirez.
[aisle 424] : Over or under?
[AndCounting] : I hope that’s wrong, but I’m bracing myself for serious disappointment from him.
[mb21] : I can’t believe one of you didn’t say you expected Hill to fall way short of his projections. I wish I had thought of it.
[aisle 424] : Can you have a negative OPS?
[mb21] : If Ramirez doesn’t at least live up to his projections, this team can’t even win 80 games.
[berselius] : Colvin’s my choice for the under. I’d take Ramirez for the Over
[mb21] : Koyie can.
[berselius] : If Koyie posts infinity WAR, it will be less than the infinity WAR that was projected
[aisle 424] : As far as beating projections, I think Wells takes a step forward. Again, I don’t know why I think that, but I think he will.
[mb21] : I can’t remember if I did a serious projection for Hill this year or not. Last year I posted Barry Bonds or Babe Ruth’s stats when I did his.
[berselius] : (dying laughing) , you did that this year too
[aisle 424] : One trick pony.
[mb21] : OK, maybe it was this year I was thinking of.
[mb21] : I think he came to being worth about a billion dollar contract over 27 years or something. He’s good.
[AndCounting] : Obviously I’m high on Castro, but I think Geovany Soto is going to have a ridiculous year, too. I say he beats his projections by a great deal (and from what I recall, they’re not low).
[mb21] : Surprised no one said over on Cashner. It would be pretty easy for him to beat those projections. He probably doesn’t stay in the rotation if he doesn’t.
[berselius] : Okay, I think that’s everyone
[berselius] : Me: Under on Colvin, Over on Ramirez
[berselius] : MB: Under on Wood, Over on Z
[berselius] : 424: Colvin and Wells
[berselius] : AC: Under on Ramirez, Over on Geo
NL Central and Playoffs predictions
[mb21] : Brewers, Reds, Cardinals, Cubs, Astros, Pirates[aisle 424] : 1. Brewers 2. Reds 3. Cardinals 4. Cubs 5. Pirates 6. Astros
[AndCounting] : I feel like I should stick with what I’ve said before, so despite my negativity, I’ll say, Reds, Cubs, Brewers, Cardinals, Pirates, Astros.
[berselius] : 1. Cardinals (86), 2. Brewers (84), 3. Reds (80), 4. Cubs (78) 5. Pirates (72) 6. Astros (62)
[aisle 424] : I could easily swap the Reds and Cardinals.
[mb21] : 62 wins for the Astros? They’re not that bad. Are they?
[berselius] : Yeah, they’re awful
[berselius] : They posted a sub .300 wOBA last year
[mb21] : My opinion is not wrong!
[aisle 424] : Can they trade Carlos Lee yet?
[berselius] : I don’t see any reason for them to do much better in 2011
[aisle 424] : If they do that, they definitelyhave 100 loss potential
[mb21] : Playoffs?
[aisle 424] : PLAYOFFS!!?!
[berselius] : (dying laughing)
[mb21] : Division winners: Yankees, White Sox, Rangers, Phillies, Brewers, Giants
[berselius] : NL: Phillies, Giants, Cardinals, Braves
[mb21] : Wild Card: Twins, Reds
[berselius] : (WC for Braves)
[AndCounting] : I’ll say Rays, Twins, Rangers, Phillies, Reds, Giants
[AndCounting] : WC: Braves, Yankees
[mb21] : I’ll go with a White Sox vs. Phillies world series, and Cubs fans everywhere cry when the White Sox win it.
[aisle 424] : AL east: Red Sox – AL Central: White Sox – AL West: Rangers – NL East: Braves – NL Central: Brewers – NL West: Giants
[berselius] : I don’t know anything about the AL, but I’ll take a stab at Red Sox, Rangers, some ALC patsy, Yankees
[berselius] : Sox-Phillies WS, Phillies win
[aisle 424] : WC: Phillies, Yankees
[AndCounting] : Twins, Phillies World Series. Twins win it.
[aisle 424] : WS Phillies vs. Red Sox – Red Sox in 7
[mb21] : Lot of differences here. WS winners predictions of the White Sox, Red Sox, Phillies and Twins. Interesting.
Jim Hendry’s Job Status
[berselius] : Last question: Will Jim Hendry be the Cubs GM on Jan 1, 2012?[aisle 424] : I can’t imagine he would be, but I thought he wouldn’t be on Jan 1, 2011 at this time last year.
[mb21] : No, but he’ll still be with the organization.
[aisle 424] : I saw you say that in a thread somewhere today and I have to say I agree. I hadn’t thought of that possibility before.
[AndCounting] : I think he’s out, gone, done.
[berselius] : I think he’ll be shown the door
[berselius] : He’s the scapegoat, and there’s lots of money off the books in 2012
[berselius] : I don’t think Quade goes with him
[aisle 424] : Crane and Tom seem reluctant to cut ties with Wilken, Randy Bush and Hendry all at once.
[mb21] : Yeah, 424, I just don’t see the Cubs getting rid of him entirely. I think he hires the next GM. Ricketts loves the guys.
[berselius] : I just hope Steve Stone doesn’t get his ear (shudder)
[aisle 424] : I think Stone has burned those bridges sufficiently.
[mb21] : I don’t see how Quade sticks around if Hendry is no longer with the organization. What new GM isn’t going to come in and hire his own manager?
[AndCounting] : We haven’t really had a chance to see the mean streak in Tom Ricketts. I don’t know how you get to be that rich without developing some kind of killer instinct. I think Hendry will be the first to bring it out of him.
[mb21] : That’s a really good point, AC.
[berselius] : Joe Ricketts got rich, not Tom Ricketts
[aisle 424] : Unless Papa comes in and does it a la Virginia McCaskey firing her son, I don’t think Tom has that.
[AndCounting] : Still, rich kids aren’t nice.
[aisle 424] : If the team goes around .500 or a little under, I think Hendry gets bumped up in some way with a new GM coming in under him who accepts Quade as the on-field manager.
[aisle 424] : If they go much worse than 76 wins or so, Hendry get shoved into a scouting position and Quade is gone the moment a new GM is named
[mb21] : I think if they’re around .500 they both keep their job. I don’t believe that Ricketts thinks this team is that good. For Ricketts to fire Hendry after this season it means he actually thinks the team should contend. If they win less than 70 I can see it.
[berselius] : If Quade weren’t an org guy I think he’d be gone. The new GM is more likely to keep him around because he knows the young players
[mb21] : Quade sticking around assumes he’ll be as well liked by the players after this season as he is now. Maybe I’m wrong here, but I don’t think that’s a good assumption to make.
[aisle 424] : That’s why I think they have to stick around the .500 mark.
[AndCounting] : Personally, I don’t think Ricketts would have OK’d the Garza deal unless he thought they could contend. I think he genuinely believes it. At some point, reality will hit and he’s going to get pissed. I don’t think Quade will take the blame for that.
[aisle 424] : I’d love to see at least one of the Ricketts get pissed.
[aisle 424] : The fans would eat it up too.
The 2011 Cubs: They got some guys….let’s see what happens. Enjoy the season!
Comments
Comment at the end of the last roundtable post
[quote name=Doug]This was a really fun read. I feel like you guys live in my brain. But it won’t be Cashner, it won’t be Soriano, it won’t be Marmol or Z. You know who it’ll be? Marlon Byrd.
He’s the perfect guy to find the doghouse. Everyone loves him right now. He hit .300~ last year. He is super vocal, he’s basically the DeRosa of this team. But watch, he’ll be hitting .270 (and he’ll have more power than he did before) he won’t be shiny and new and impressing, he’ll just be a good player but it won’t look as nice with him hitting .270. Fans will be hearing about Jackson being in AA and producing, and boom, you’ll see people turn on him.[/quote]
I see what you mean, but Byrd is bracketed by two outfielders that Cubs fans already hate. If Jackson is raking it would just mean people would keep calling for Fukudome or Soriano to GTFO
BerseliusQuote Reply
Two. One for each TOOTBLAN.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
And I’m off to teach. Enjoy yourselves, fuckfaces!
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]And I’m off to teach. Enjoy yourselves, fuckfaces![/quote]
Don’t tell me what to do.
BerseliusQuote Reply
Pudge72, the short version is that many of the commenters here were regulars at Another Cubs Blog, which had been around for years and developed its own collection of memes and in-jokes. Many of them revolve around Bleed Cubbie Blue and its self-important “editor in chief” Al Yellon.
BerseliusQuote Reply
Also, it’s April Faget’s Day (i.e. national asshat day) (dying laughing) so well played if this is Dick McCheese or some ACB regular.
BerseliusQuote Reply
The (dying laughing) thing is us parodying the most prolific troll at Another Cubs Blog, who used to day (dying laughing) often. Many times it came off as scoffing-ish. It was part of his online persona, and the parody turned into its own meme.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]Also, it’s April Faget’s Day (i.e. national asshat day) (dying laughing) so well played if this is Dick McCheese or some ACB regular.[/quote]
I already played my joke for the day.
Dr. Aneus TaintQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]it’s April Faget’s Day [/quote](dying laughing)
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Oh man I hope to DeRosa Theriot gets booed. That little fuckers attitude has pissed me off for years.
Once again, I think I’ll pick my favorite players Zambrano, and Rami to have big years. Hopefully Cashner and Castro as well.
Here’s to another shitty season of disappointment. (dying laughing)
LukasQuote Reply
[quote name=Lukas]
Here’s to another shitty season of disappointment. (dying laughing)[/quote]
The 2011 Cubs, everyone!
BerseliusQuote Reply
Actually, I guess that’s
The
2011Cubs everyone!BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]Actually, I guess that’s
The
2011Cubs everyone![/quote]Nice snark.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I posted this on The Hawkeye State: http://www.thehawkeyestate.net/general-sports/mlb/this-is-the-year.html
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Nice snark.[/quote]
Watch your attitude! You need to stop NOW.
LukasQuote Reply
I think Tim had a post about some of these memes coming up so commenters from Aisle 424 and And Counting aren’t as reluctant to get involved.
mb21Quote Reply
But almost all of the memes are Al Yellon/Bleed Cubbie Blue. There are new ones all the time because he’s providing memes at a ridiculous rate.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]But almost all of the memes are Al Yellon/Bleed Cubbie Blue. There are new ones all the time because he’s providing memes at a ridiculous rate.[/quote]
Don’t you like ANYTHING?!
That is sort of a non sequitur, but I really liked that one.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I posted this on The Hawkeye State: http://www.thehawkeyestate.net/general-sports/mlb/this-is-the-year.html%5B/quote%5D
Outstanding.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]But almost all of the memes are Al Yellon/Bleed Cubbie Blue. There are new ones all the time because he’s providing memes at a ridiculous rate.[/quote]
I’m watching you.
LukasQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]But almost all of the memes are Al Yellon/Bleed Cubbie Blue. There are new ones all the time because he’s providing memes at a ridiculous rate.[/quote]
Yeah there are some memes that I don’t get any more, but my default assumption is they are Yellon-directed parody/snark.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=shawndgoldman]Yeah there are some memes that I don’t get any more, but my default assumption is they are Yellon-directed parody/snark.[/quote]
You and I don’t often agree, but correct.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Yeah I don’t get everything that’s said here, but that’s part of the allure*
*I realize this place has no allure to speak of.
MishQuote Reply
I don’t get everything either. There’s too many to keep up with and there are just too many that are new.
mb21Quote Reply
I’m glad I’ve consistently been reading since 2006 or so. I couldn’t imagine not knowing the memes around here. That’s pretty much all this place is. (dying laughing)
LukasQuote Reply
And Counting, I think you are off on the Ricketts must be mean idea.
Joe Ricketts definitely was the guy that made the money for the family. Best I can understand, all Tom has done in the business world is develop a small (by billionaire standards) trading operation with funding from his Dad. And no, I don’t think all rich kids have a mean streak. A lot of them are just plain soft.
I’ve seen nothing from Tom Ricketts so far to indicate that he has a mean streak.
All that being said, I doubt that Hendry is the GM next opening day. Wouldn’t surprise me if he is still in the organization in some role though.
Hector VillanuevaQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I posted this on The Hawkeye State: http://www.thehawkeyestate.net/general-sports/mlb/this-is-the-year.html%5B/quote%5D
I loved this post, MB
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I don’t get everything either. There’s too many to keep up with and there are just too many that are new.[/quote]
I admit that I will sometimes post shit that doesn’t mean anything just to keep you fagets guessing.
Dr. Aneus TaintQuote Reply
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Giants-fan-hires-plane-to-carry-anti-Dodgers-sig?urn=mlb-wp2065
As a de facto Giants fan, this amuses me so.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Thanks, I had some fun writing it. I had actually started it yesterday and then I saw SK33 had something on facebook about this is the year so I added on there and then finished it up.
mb21Quote Reply
I hope people aren’t expecting us to continue to post as much content as we have here the first 5 days. We all had one or two written, Berselius had his previews and there were the interviews as well as these roundtables.
There have been 25 articles posted. 8 of those were previews/interviews, 2 roundtables plus about 5 that we had 3 weeks to write. So posting is going slow down considerably after we run the last preview/interview today. Unless the Cubs are really good at which point I’d guess we post a lot of stuff.
mb21Quote Reply
So new content should virtually end within two weeks, then.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I hope people aren’t expecting us to continue to post as much content as we have here the first 5 days. We all had one or two written, Berselius had his previews and there were the interviews as well as these roundtables.
There have been 25 articles posted. 8 of those were previews/interviews, 2 roundtables plus about 5 that we had 3 weeks to write. So posting is going slow down considerably after we run the last preview/interview today. Unless the Cubs are really good at which point I’d guess we post a lot of stuff.[/quote]
C’mon man. It’s unrealistic expectations day.
shawndgoldmanQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Unless the Cubs are really good [/quote]
April Faget’s!
BerseliusQuote Reply
WTF is Len doing?
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban Kid]WTF is Len doing?
[/quote]
Getting ready to play the bongos?
LukasQuote Reply
Len is obviously admonishing Todd for throwing away unsold hot dogs.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
One fiction that I see everywhere this time of the year always makes me laugh. I can’t believe how many people believe that a team’s number one starter will always match up against other team’s number one starters, and so on down the line.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Lukas]Getting ready to play the bongos?[/quote](dying laughing)
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Awesome tweet from Heyman regarding Quade taking the “El”. BTW – It’s “EL” paul Sullivan. It stands for Elevated Track…
JManQuote Reply
Are hyperlinked usernames only for admins? I don’t see a user control panel.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban Kid]Are hyperlinked usernames only for admins? I don’t see a user control panel.[/quote]
Everyone should have it – it’s the website line right under “Add Comment”
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I hope people aren’t expecting us to continue to post as much content as we have here the first 5 days. We all had one or two written, Berselius had his previews and there were the interviews as well as these roundtables.
There have been 25 articles posted. 8 of those were previews/interviews, 2 roundtables plus about 5 that we had 3 weeks to write. So posting is going slow down considerably after we run the last preview/interview today. Unless the Cubs are really good at which point I’d guess we post a lot of stuff.[/quote]
I was expecting that. You just lost a reader.
Dr. Aneus TaintQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]Everyone should have it – it’s the website line right under “Add Comment”[/quote]I’m a dumbass. I forgot about that.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
I am in such nongay platonic love with the new GameDay presentation.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]I am in such nongay platonic love with the new GameDay presentation.[/quote]
+1 LSA
The best is yet to come.
LukasQuote Reply
Gameday is the blow-up doll of mediated baseball game watching.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban Kid]I’m a dumbass. I forgot about that.[/quote]Yeah, well I don’t even know what either of you mean. It went over my head.
mb21Quote Reply
I love how quickly they put up the highlights from scoring and defensive plays. Maybe two or three minutes after Theriot’s idiocy yesterday, the video was up in the little “video” bubble that flies into the screen. MLB.com did a great job.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]One fiction that I see everywhere this time of the year always makes me laugh. I can’t believe how many people believe that a team’s number one starter will always match up against other team’s number one starters, and so on down the line.[/quote]I looked at that a couple years ago and was actually surprised how often the number 1s did meet up so I think it’s a fair comment by the fans. If I recall, Zambrano met up with the other team’s starters in about half or a little more half of his starts. I was expecting it to be about 30 to 35%.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Jame Gumb]I was expecting that. You just lost a reader.[/quote]That’s because you died last night. Dead people can’t read, dumbass.
mb21Quote Reply
Alvin, really? Buck’s Dugout, you will?
Dr. Aneus TaintQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]I am in such nongay platonic love with the new GameDay presentation.[/quote]I didn’t realize GameDay was male, let alone had a sex.
JManQuote Reply
[quote name=JMan]I didn’t realize GameDay was male, let alone had a sex.[/quote]
I call him Steve.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]That’s because you died last night. Dead people can’t read, dumbass.[/quote]
I’d expect you to have the intelligence to ascertain that I did NOT die based on the fact that I told you it was a joke.
Dr. Aneus TaintQuote Reply
JG- whats your latest SF draft look like?
dylanjQuote Reply
Later, dickwads.
Back in time for losing!
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Preview/Game thread up
http://obstructedview.net/chicago-cubs/previews/nl-central-preview-pittsburgh-pirates.html
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=dylanj]JG- whats your latest SF draft look like?[/quote]
I put it in the next thread.
Dr. Aneus TaintQuote Reply
My wife proudly wore her Theriot jersey today after she got home. She’s still infatuated with his southern charm.
jherkyQuote Reply